390 

.■R&2 




FOREIGN SEMI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 

JANUARY 16, 1844. 



From Black wooH's Magazine for November and December. 

ADVENTURER IN TEXAS. 

A SCAMPER IN THE PRAIRIE OF JACINTO. 

Reader ! Were you ever in a Texan prairie? 
Probably not. / have been; and this was 
how it happened. When a very young man, 
I found myself one fine morning possessor of 
a Texas land-scrip — that is to say, a certifi- 
cate of the Galveston Bay and Texas Land 
Company, in which it was stated, that, in 
consideration of the sum of one thousand 
dollars, duly paid and delivered by Mr. Ed- 
ward Rivers into the hands of the cashier of 
the aforesaid company, he, the said Edward 
Rivers, was become entitled to ten thousand 
acres of Texan land, to be selected by him- 
self, or those he should appoint, under the 
sole condition of not infringing on the pro- 
perty or rights of the holders of previously 
given certificates. 

Ten thousand acres of the finest land in 
the world, and under a heaven compared to 
which, our Maryland sky, bright as it is, 
appears dull and foggy! It was a tempting 
bait — too good a one not to be caught at 
by many in those times of speculation ; and 
accordingly, our free and enlightened citizens 
bought and sold their millions of Texan acres 
just as readily as they did their thousands of 
towns and villages in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, 
and Michigan, and their tens of thousands of 
shares in banks and railways. It was a spe- 
culative fever, which has since, we may hope, 
been in some degree, cured. At any rate, 
Volume V. — 7 



the remedies applied have been tolerably 
severe. 

I had not escaped the contagion, and, hav- 
ing got the land on paper, I thought I should 
like to see it in dirty acres ; so, in company 
with a friend who had a similar venture, I 
embarked at Baltimore on board the Catcher 
schooner, and, after a three weeks' voyage, 
arrived in Galveston Bay. 

The grassy shores of this bay, into which 
the river Brazos empties itself, rise so little 
above the surface of the water, to which they 
bear a strong resemblance in colour, that it 
would be difficult to discover them, were it 
not for three stunted trees growing on the 
western extremity of a long lizard-shaped 
island that stretches nearly sixty miles across 
the bay, and conceals the mouth of the river. 
These trees are the only landmark for the 
mariner; and, with their exception, not a 
single object — not a hill, a house, nor so much 
as a bush, relieves the level sameness of the 
island and adjacent continent. 

•After we had, with some difficulty, got on 
the inner side of the island, a pilot came on 
board and took charge of the vessel. The 
first thing he did was to run us on a sandbank, 
off which we got with no small labour, and by 
the united exertions of sailors and passen- 
gers, at length entered the river. In our im- 
patience to land, I and my friend left the 
schooner in a cockleshell of a boat, which 
upset in the surge, ar)d we found ourselves 
floundering in the water. Luckily it was not 
very deep, and we escaped with a thorough 
drenching. 



74 



?,b^ 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



When we had scrambled on sliore, we 
gazed about us for some time before we could 
persuade ourselves that we were actually upon 
land. It was, without exception, the strangest 
coast we had ever seen, and there was scarcely 
a possibility of distinguishing the boundary 
between earth and water. The green grass 
grew down to the edge of the green sea, and 
there was only the streak of white foam left 
by the latter upon the former to serve as a 
line of demarcation. Before us was a plain, 
a hundred or more miles in extent, covered 
with long, fine grass, rolling in waves before 
each puft'of the sea-breeze, with neither tree, 
nor house, nor hill, to vary the monotony of 
the surface. Ten or twelve miles toward the 
north and north-west, we distinguished some 
dark masses, which we afterward discovered 
to be groups of trees ; but to our eyes they 
looked exactly like islands in a green sea, 
and we subsequently learned that they were 
called islands by the people of the country. 
It would have been difficult to have given 
them a more appropriate name, or one better 
describing their appearance. 

Proceeding along the shore, we came to a 
block-house situated behind a small tongue 
of land projecting into the river, and decorated 
with the flag of the Mexican republic, waving 
in all its glory from the roof. At that period, 
this was the only building of which Galveston 
harbour could boast. It served as custom- 
house and as barracks for the garrison, also 
as the residence of the director of customs, 
and of the civil and military intcndant, as 
head quarters of the officer commanding, 
and, moreover, as hotel and wine and spirit 
store. Alongside the board, on which was 
depicted a sort of hieroglyphic, intended for 
the Mexican eagle, hung a bottle doing duty 
as a sign, and the republican banner threw 
its protecting shadow over an announcement 
of " Brandy, Whiskey, and Accommodation 
for Man and Beast." 

As we approached the house, we saw the 
whole garrison assembled before the door. 
It consisted of a dozen dwarfish, spindle- 
shanked Mexican soldiers, none of them so 
big or half so strong as American boys of 
fifteen, and whom I would have backed a 
single Kentucky woodsman, armed with a 
riding-whip, to have driven to the four winds 
of heaven. These heroes all sported tremen- 
dous beards, whiskers, and mustaches, and 
had a habit of knitting their brows, in the 
endeavour, as we supposed, to look fierce and 
formidable. They were crowding round a 



table of rough planks, and playing a game 
of cards, in whicli they were so deeply en- 
grossed that they took no notice of our ap- 
proach. Their officer, however, came out 
of the house to meet us. 

Captain Cotton, formerly editor of the 
Mexican Gazette, now civil and military 
commandant at Galveston, custom-house di- 
rector, harbour-master, and tavern-keeper, 
and a Yankee to boot, seemed to trouble 
himself very little about his various dignities 
and titles. He produced some capital French 
and Spanish wine, which, it is to be pre- 
sumed, he got duty free, and welcomed us to 
Texas. We were presently joined by some 
of our fellow-passengers, who seemed as be- 
wildered as we had been at the billiard-table 
appearance of the country. Indeed, the place 
looked so desolate and uninviting, that there 
was little inducement to remain on terra 
Jirma; and it was with a feeling of relief 
that we once more found ourselves on board 
the schooner. 

We took three days to sail up the river 
Brazos to the town of Brazoria, a distance 
of thirty miles. On the first day, nothing 
but meadow-land was visible on either side 
of us; but, on the second, the monotonous 
grass-covered surface was varied by islands 
of trees, and, about twenty miles from the 
mouth of the river, we passed through a 
forest of sycamores, and saw several herds 
of deer and flocks of wild turkeys. At length 
we reached Brazoria, which, at the time I 
speak of, namely, in the year 1832, was an 
important city — for Texas, that is to say — 
consisting of upward of thirty houses, three 
of which were of brick, three of planks, and 
the remainder of logs. All the inhabitants 
were Americans, and the streets arranged in 
American fashion, in straight lines and at 
right angles. The only objection to the 
place was, that in the wet season it was all 
under water; but the Brazorians overlooked V 
this little inconvenience, in consideration of* 
the inexhaustible fruitfulness of the stil. It 
was the beginning of March when we arrived, 
and yet there was already an abundance of 
new potatoes, beans, peas, and artichokes, 
all of the finest sorts and most delicate fla- 
vour. 

At Brazoria, my friend and myself had the 
satisfaction of learning that our land-certifi- 
cates, for which we had each paid a thou- 
sand dollars, w^ere worth exactly nothing — 
just so much waste paper, in short — unless 
we chose to conform to a condition to which 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



75 



our worth}^ friends, the Galveston Bay and 
Texas Land Company, had never made the 
smallest allusion. 

It appeared, that in the year 1824, the 
Mexican Congress had passed an act for the 
encouragement of emigration from the United 
States to Texas. In consequence of this act, 
an agi'cement was entered into with con- 
tractors, or empresarios, as they call them 
in Mexico, who had bound themselves to 
bring a certain number of settlers into Texas 
within a given time, and without any expense 
to the Mexican government. On the other 
hand, the Mexican government had engaged 
to furnish land to these emigrants at the rate 
of five square leagues to every hundred fami- 
lies ; but to this agreement one condition was 
attached, and it was, that all settlers should 
be, or become, Roman Catholics, Failing 
this, the validity of their claims to the land 
was not recognised, and they were liable to 
be turned out any day at the point of the 
bayonet. 

This information threw us into no small 
perplexity. It was clear that we had been 
duped, completely bubbled, by the rascally 
Land Company; that, as heretics, the Mexi- 
can government would have nothing to say 
to us ; and that, unless we chose to become 
converts to the Romish Church, we might 
whistle for our acres, and light our pipes 
with the certificate. Our Yankee friends at 
Brazoria, however, laughed at our dilemma, 
and told us that we were only in the same 
plight as hundreds of our countrymen, who 
had come to Texas in total ignorance of this 
condition, but who had not the less taken 
possession of their land and settled there ; 
that they themselves were among the num- 
ber, and that, although it was just as likeh" 
they would turn negroes as Roman Catholics, 
they had no idea of being turned out of their 
houses and plantations ; that, at any rate, if 
the Mexicans tried it, they had their rifles 
with them, and should be apt, they reckoned, 
to burn powder before they allowed them- 
selves to be kicked off such an almighty fine 
piece of soil. So, after a while, we began to 
think, that as we had paid our money and 
come so far, we might do as others had done 
before us — occupy our land and wait the 
course of events. The next day we each 
bought a horse, or mustang, as they call them 
there, which animals were selling at Brazoria 
for next to nothing, and rode out into the 
prairie to look for a convenient spot to settle. 

These mustangs are small horses, rarely 



above fourteen hands high, and arc descended 
from the Spanish breed introduced by the 
original conquerors of the country. During 
the three centuries that have elapsed since 
the conquest of Mexico, they have increased 
and multiplied to an extraordinary extent, 
and arc to be found in vast droves in the 
Texan prairies, although they are now be- 
ginning to become somewhat scarcer. They 
are taken with the lasso, concerning which 
instrument or weapon I will here say a word 
or two, notwithstanding that it has often been 
described. 

The lasso is usually from twenty to thirty 
feet long, very flexible, and composed of 
strips of twisted ox-hide. One end is fast- 
ened to the saddle, and the other, which forms 
a running noose, held in the hand of the hun- 
ter, who, thus equipped, rides out into the 
prairie. \^"hen he discovers a troop of wild 
horses, he manoeuvres to get to windward of 
them, and then to approach as near them as 
possible. If he is an experienced hand, the 
horses seldom or never escape him, and as 
soon as he finds himself within twenty or 
thirty feet of them, he throws the noose with 
unerring aim over the neck of the one he has 
selected for his prey. This done, he turns 
his own horse short round, gives him the 
spur, and gallops away, dragging his unfor- 
tunate captive after him, breathless, and with 
his windpipe so compressed by the noose, 
that he is unable to make the smallest re- 
sistance, and after a few yards, falls head- 
long to the ground, and lies motionless and 
almost lifeless, sometimes indeed badly hurt 
and disabled. From this day forward, the 
horse which has thus been caught never for- 
gets the lasso ; the mere sight of it makes 
him tremble in every limb; and, however 
wild he may be, it is sufficient to show it to 
him, or lay it on his neck, to render him as 
tame and docile as a lamb. 

The horse taken, next comes the breaking 
in, which is effected in a no less brutal man- 
ner than his capture. The eyes of the un- 
fortunate animal are covered with a bandage, 
and a tremendous bit, a pound weight or 
more, clapped into his mouth; the horse- 
breaker puts on a pair of spurs six inches 
long, and with rowels like penknives, and 
jumping on his back, urges him to his very 
utmost speed. If the horse tries to rear, or 
turns restive, one pull, and not a very hard 
one either, at the instrument of torture they 
call a bit, is sufficient to tear his mouth to 
shreds, and cause the blood to flow in streams. 



76 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



I have myself seen horses' teeth broken with 
these barbarous bits. The poor beast whin- 
nies and groans with pain and terror; but 
there is no help for him, the spurs are at his 
flanks, and on he goes full gallop, till he is 
ready to sink from fatigue and exhaustion. 
He then has a quarter of an hour's rest allow- 
ed him; but scarcely does he begin to reco- 
ver breath, which has been ridden or spur- 
red out of his body, when he is again mount- 
ed, and has to go through the same violent 
process as before. If he breaks down dur- 
ing this rude trial, he is either knocked on 
the head or driven away as useless; but if he 
holds out, he is marked with a hot iron, and 
left to graze on the prairie. Henceforward, 
there is no particular difficulty in catching 
him when wanted; the wildness of the horse 
is completely punished out of him, but for it 
is substituted the most confirmed vice and 
malice that it is possible to conceive. These 
mustangs are unquestionably the most deceit- 
ful and spiteful of all the equine race. They 
seem to be perpetually looking out for an 
opportunity of playing their master a trick; 
and, very soon afrer I got possession of mine, 
I vi-as nearly paying for him in a way that 1 
had not calculated upon. 

We were going to Bolivar, and had to cross 
the river Brazos. I was the last but one to 
get into the boat, and was leading my horse 
carelessly by the bridle. Just as I was about 
to step in, a sudden jerk, and a cry of " mind 
your beast!" made me jump on one side; 
and lucky it was that I did so. My mustang 
had suddenly sprung back, reared up, and 
then thrown himself forward upon me with 
such force and fury, that, as I got out of his 
way, his fore feet went completely through 
the bottom of the boat. I never in my life 
saw an animal in such a paroxysm of i-age. 
He curled up his lips till his whole range of 
teeth was visible, his eyes literally shot fire, 
while the foam flew from his mouth, and he 
gave a wild screaming neigh that had some- 
thing quite diabolical in its sound. I was 
staniling perfectly thunderstruck at this scene, 
when one of the party took a lasso and very 
quietly laid it over the animal's neck. The 
efR'ct was really magical. With closed mouth, 
drooping ears, and head low, there stood the 
mustang, as meek and docile as any old jack- 
ass. The change was so sudden and comi- 
cal, that we all burst out laughing; although, 
when I came to reflect on the clanger I had 
run, it required all my love of horses to pre- 
vent me from shooting the brute upon the spot. 



Mounted upon this ticklish steed, and in 
company with my friend, I made various ex- 
cursions to Bolivar, Marion, Columbia, Ana- 
huac, incipient cities, consisting of from five 
to twentv houses. We also visited numer- 
rous plantations and clearings, to the owners 
of some of which we were known, or had 
messages of introduction ; but either with or 
without such recommendations, we always 
found a hearty Avelcome and hospitable recep- 
tion, and it was rare that we were allowed to 
pay for our entertainment. 

Wc arrived one day at a clearing, which 
lay a few miles off the Avay from Harrisburg 
to San Felipe de Austin, and belonged to a 
Mr. Neal. He had been three years in the 
country, occupying himself w^ith the breeding 
of cattle, which is unquestionabl)^ the most 
agreeable, as well as profitable, occupation 
that can be followed in Texas. He had be- 
tween seven and eight hundred head of cat- 
tle, and from fifty to sixty horses, all mus- 
tangs. His plantation, like nearly all the 
plantations in Texas at that time, was as yet 
in a very rough state ; and his house, al- 
though roomy and comfortable enough inside, 
was built of unhewn tree-trunks, in true 
backwoodsman style. It was situated on the 
border of one of the islands, or groups of 
trees, and stood between two gigantic syca- 
mores, which sheltered it from the sun and 
wind. In front, and as far as could be seen, 
lay the prairie, covered with its waving grass 
and many-coloured flowers ; behind the dwel- 
ling arose the cluster of forest trees in all 
their primeval majesty, laced and bound to- 
gether by an infinity of wild vines, which 
shot their tendrils and clinging branches 
hundreds of feet upward to the very top of 
the trees, embracing and covering the whole 
island with a green net- work, and converting 
it into an immense bower of vine leaves, 
which would have been no unsuitable abode 
for Bacchus and his train. 

These islands are one of the most enchant- 
ing features of Texan scenery. Of infinite 
variety and beauty of form, and unrivalled in 
the growth and magnitude of the trees that 
compose them, they are to be found of all 
shapes — circular, parallelograms, hexagons, 
octagons — some again twisting and winding 
like dark-green snakes over the brighter sur- 
face of the prairie. In no park or artificially 
laid-out grounds, would it be possible to find 
any thing equalling these natural shrubberies 
in beauty and symmetry. In the morning 
and evening especially, when surrounded by 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



77 



a sort of veil of light-grayish mist, and with 
the horizontal beams of the rising or setting 
sun gleaming through them, they offer pic- 
tures which it is impossible to get weary of 
admiring. 

Mr. Neal was a jovial Kentuckian, and he 
received us with the greatest hospitality, only 
asking in return all the news we could give 
him from the States. It is difficult to ima- 
gine, without having witnessed it, the feverish 
eagerness and curiosity with which all intelli- 
gence from their native country is sought after 
and listened to by these dwellers in the desert. 
Men, women, and children, crowded round us ; 
and though we had arrived in the afternoon, 
it was near sunrise before we could escape 
from the inquiries by which we were over- 
whelmed, and retire to the beds that had been 
prepared for us. 

I had not slept very long when I was roused 
by our worthy host. He was going out to 
catch twenty or thirty oxen, which were 
wanted for the market at New Orleans. As 
the kind of chase which takes place after 
these animals is very interesting, and rarely 
dangerous, we willingly accepted the invita- 
tion to accompany him, and having dressed 
and breakfasted in all haste, got upon our 
mustangs and rode off" into the prairie. 

The pai'ty was half a dozen strong, con- 
sisting of Mr. Neal, my friend and myself, 
and three negroes. What we had to do was 
to drive the cattle, which were grazing on 
the prairie in herds of from thirty to fifty 
head, to the house, and then those which 
were selected for the market were to be taken 
with the lasso and sent off to Brazoria. 

After riding four or five miles, we came in 
sight of a drove of splendid animals, stand- 
ing very high, and of most symmetrical form. 
The horns of these cattle are of unusual 
length, and, in the distance, have more the 
appearance of stag's antlers than bull's horns. 
We approached the herd first to within a 
quarter of a mile. They remained quite 
quiet. We rode round them, and in like 
manner got in rear of a second and third 
drove, and then began to spread out, so as 
to form a half circle, and drive the cattle 
toward the house. 

Hitherto my mustang had behaved ex- 
ceedingly well, cantering freely along, and 
not attempting to play any tricks. I had 
scarcely, however, left the remainder of the 
party a couple of hundred yards, when the 
devil by which he was possessed began to 
wake up. The mustangs belonging to the 
7* 



plantation were grazing some three quarters 
of a mile off; and no sooner did my beast 
catch sight of them, than he commenced 
practising every species of jump and leap 
that it is possible for a horse to execute, and 
many of a nature so extraordinary, that I 
should have thought no brute that ever went 
on four legs would have been able to accom- 
plish them. He shied, reared, pranced, leapea 
forward, backward, and sideways ; in short, 
played such infernal pranks, that, although 
a practised rider, I found it no easy matter 
to keep my seat. I began heartily to regret 
that I had brought no lasso with me, which 
would have tamed him at once, and that, 
contrary to Mr. Neal's advice, I had put on 
my American bit instead of a Mexican one. 
Without these auxiliaries all my horseman- 
ship was useless. The brute galloped like 
a mad creature some five hundred yards, 
caring nothing for my efforts to stop him ; 
and then, finding himself close to the troop 
of mustangs, he stopped suddenly short, 
threw his head between his forelegs, and his 
hind feet into the air, with such vicious vio- 
lence, that I was pitched clean out of the 
saddle. Before I well knew where I was, I 
had the satisfaction of seeing him put liis 
fore feet on the bridle, pull bit and bridoon 
out of his mouth, and then, with a neigh of 
exultation, spring into the midst of the herd 
of mustangs. 

I got up out of the long grass in a tower- 
ing passion. One of the. negroes who was 
nearest to me came galloping to my assist- 
ance, and begged me to let the beast run for 
a while, and that when Anthony, the hunts- 
man, came, he w^ould soon catch him. I was 
too angry to listen to reason, and I ordered 
him to get off his horse, and let me mount. 
The black begged and prayed of me not to 
ride after the brute ; and Mr. Neal, w^ho was 
some distance off, shouted to me, as loud as 
he could, for heaven's sake, to stop — that I 
did not know what it was to chase a wild 
horse in a Texan prairie, and that I must not 
fancy myself in the meadows of Louisiana or 
Florida. I paid no attention to all this — I 
was in too great a rage at the trick the beast 
had played me, and jumping on the negro's 
horse, I galloped away like mad. 

My rebellious steed was grazing quietly 
with his companions, and he allowed me to 
come within a couple of hundred paces of 
him; but just as I had prepared the lasso, 
which was fastened to the negro's saddle- 
bow, he gave a start, and galloped off some 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



distance further, I after him. Again he made 
a pause, and munched a mouthful of grass — 
then ofi" again for another half mile. This 
time I had great hopes of catching him, for 
lie let me come within a hundred yards ; but, 
just as I was creeping up to him, away he 
went with one of his shrill neighs. When I 
galloped fast he went faster, when I rode 
slowly he slackened his pace. At least ten 
times did he let me approach him within a 
couple of hundred yards, without for that 
bcuig a bit nearer getting hold of him. It 
was certainly high time to desist from such 
a mad chase, but I never dreamed of doing 
so ; and indeed the longer it lasted, the more 
obstinate I got. I rode on after the beast, 
who kept letting me come nearer and nearer, 
and then darted off again with his loud-laugh- 
ing neigh. It was this infernal neigh that 
made me so savage — there was something 
so spiteful and triumphant in it, as though 
the animal knew he was making a fool of 
me, and exulted in so doing. At last, how- 
ever, I got so sick of my horse-hunt that I 
determined to make a last trial, and, if that 
failed, to turn back. The runaway had 
stopped near one of the islands of trees, and 
was grazing quite close to its edge. I thought 
that if 1 were to creep round to the other side 
of the island, and then steal across it, through 
the trees, I should be able to throw the lasso 
over his head, or, at any rate, to drive him 
back to the house. This plan I put in exe- 
cution — rode round the island, then through 
it, lasso in hand, and as softly as if I had 
been riding over eggs. To my consterna- 
tion, however, on arriving at the edge of 
trees, and at the exact spot where, only a 
few minutes before, I had seen the mustang 
grazing, no signs of him were to be perceived. 
1 made the circuit of the island, but in vain — 
the animal had disappeared. With a hearty 
curse, 1 put spurs to my horse, and started 
oft' to ride back to the [)lantation. 

Neither the plantation, the cattle, nor my 
companions, were visible, it is true; but this 
gave me no uneasiness. I felt sure that I 
knew the direction in which I had come, and 
that the island I had just left was one which 
was visible from the liouse, while all around 
me were such numerous tracks of horses, 
that the possibility of my having lost my 
way never occurred to me, and I rode on 
quite unconcernedly. 

After riding f>r about an hour, however, I 
began to find the time rather long. I looked 
at my watch. It was past one o'clock. We 



had started at nine, and, allowing an hour 
and a half to have been spent in finding the 
cattle, I had passed nearly three hours in 
my wild and unsuccessful hunt. I began to 
think that I must have got further from the 
plantation than I had as yet supposed. 

It was toward the end of March, the day 
clear and warm, just like a May-day in the 
Southern States. The sun was now shining 
brightly out, but the early part of the morn- 
ing had been somewhat loggy ; and, as I had 
only arrived at the plantation the day before, 
and had passed the whole afternoon and even- 
ing indoors, I had no opportunity of getting 
acquainted with the bearings of the house. 
This reflection began to make me rather un- 
easy, particularly wJicn I remembered the 
entreaties of the negro, and the loud exhorta- 
tions of Mr. Neal addressed to me as I rode 
away. I said to myself, however, that I 
could not be more than ten or fifteen miles 
from the plantation, that I should soon come 
in sight of the herds of cattle, and that then 
there would be no difliculty in finding my 
way. But when I had ridden another hour 
without seeing the smallest sign cither of 
man or beast, I got seriously uneasy. In 
my impatience, I abused poor Neal for -not 
sending somebody to find me. His hunts- 
man, I heard say, was gone to Analiuac, and 
would not be back for two or three days; but 
he might have sent a couple of his lazy ne- 
groes. Or, if he had only fired a shot or 
two as a signal. I stopped and listened, in 
hopes of hearing the crack of a rifle. But 
the deepest stillness reigned aroimd, scarcely 
the chirp of a bird was heard — all nature 
seemed to be taking the siesta. As far as 
the eye could reach was a waving sea of 
grass, here and there an island of trees, but 
not a trace of a human being. At last I 
thought I had made a discovery. The near- 
est clump of trees was undoubtedly the same 
which I had admired and pointed out to my 
companions soon after we had left the house. 
It bore a fantastic resemblance to a snake 
coiled up and about to dart upon its prey. 
About six or seven miles from the plantation 
we had passed it on our right hand, and if I 
now kept it upon my left, t could not fiiil to 
be going in a proper direction. So said, so 
done. 1 trotted on most perseveringly toward 
the point of the horizon where I felt certain 
the house must lie. One hour passed, then 
a second, then a third; every now and then 
I stopped and listened, but nothing was audi- 
ble, not a shot nor a shout. But, although I 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



79 



heard nothing, I saw something which gave 
me no great pleasure. la the directicili in 
wliich we had ridden out, the grass was very 
abundant and the fiowers scarce ; whereas the 
part oftlic })rairie in which I now found my- 
self pret^entcd the appearance of a perfect 
flower-garden, with scarcely a square foot of 
green to be seen. The most variegated carpet 
of flowers I ever beheld lay unrolled before 
me; red, yellow, violet, blue, every colour, 
every tint, was there; millions of the most 
magnificent prairie roses, tube-roses, asters, 
dahlias, and fifty other kinds of flowers. 
The finest artificial garden in the world would 
sink into insignificence when com})ared with 
this parterre of nature's own planting. My 
horse could scarcely make his way through 
the wilderness of flowers, and I for a time 
remained lost in admiration of this scene of 
extraordinary beauty. The prairie in the 
distance looked as it" clothed with rainbows, 
that waved to and fro over its surface. 

But the difliculties and anxieties of my 
situation, soon banished all other thoughts, 
and 1 rode on with a perfect indifierence 
through a scene, that, under other circum- 
stances, would have captivated my entire 
attention. All the stories that I had heard 
of mishaps in these endless prairies, recurred 
in vivid colouring to my memory, not mere 
backwoodsman's legends, but facts well au- 
thenticated by persons of undoubted veracity, 
who had warned me, before I came to Texas, 
against venturing without guide or compass 
into these dangerous wilds. Even men who 
had been long in the country, were often 
known to lose themselves, and to wander for 
days and weeks over these oceans of grass, 
where no hill or variety of surface offers a 
landmark to the travelle'r. In summer and 
autumn, such a position would have one dan- 
ger the less, that is, there would be no risk 
of dying of hunger; for at those seasons the 
most delicious fruits, grapes, plums, peaches, 
and others, are to be found in abundance. 
But we were now in early spring, and although 
I saw numbers of peach and plum-trees, they 
were only in blossom. Of game also there 
was plenty, both fin- and feather, but I had 
no gun, and nothing appeared more probable 
than that I should die of hunger, although 
surrounded by food, and in one of the most 
frightful countries in the worid. This thought 
flashed suddenly across me, and for a mo- 
ment my heart sunk within mo as I first per- 
ceived the real danger of my position. 
After a time, however, other ideas came 



to console me. I had been already four 
weeks in the country, and had ridden over a 
large slice of it in every direction, always 
through prairies, and I had never had any 
diflicidty in finding my way. True, but then 
1 had always had a compass, and been in 
company. It was this sort of over-confidence 
and feeling of security, that had made me 
adventure so rashly, and spite of all warning, 
in pursuit of the mustang. I had not waited 
to reflect, that a little more than four weeks 
was necessary to make one acquainted with 
the bearings of a district three times as biw 
as New York State. Still I thought it im° 
possible that I should have got soYar out of 
the right track as not to be able to find 
the house before nightfall, which was now, 
however, rapidly approaching. Indeed, the 
first shades of evening, strange as it may 
seem, gave this persuasion increased strength. 
Home-bred and gently nurtured as I was, 
my life before coming to Texas had been by 
no means one of adventure, and I was so 
used to sleep with a roof over my head, that 
when I saw it getting dusk I felt certain that 
I could not be tar from the house. The idea 
fixed itself so strongly in my mind, that I 
involuntarily spurred my mustang, and trot- 
ted on, peering out through the now fast- 
gathering gloom, in expectation of seeing a 
light. Several times I fancied I heard the 
barking of the dogs, the lowing cattle, or the 
merry laugh of the children, 

" Hurrah ! there is the house at last — I see 
the lights in the parlour windows," 

I urged my horse on, but when I came 
near the house, it proved to be an island of 
trees. What I had taken for candles were 
fire-flies, that now issued in swarms from out 
of the darkness of the islands, and spread 
themselves over the prairie, darting about in 
every direction, their small blue flames lite- 
rally lighting up the plain, and making it 
appear as if I were surrounded by a sea of 
Bengal fire. It is impossible to conceive 
any thing more bewildering than such a ride 
as mine, on a warm March night, through the 
interminable, never-varying prairie. Over- 
head the deep blue firmament, with its hosts 
of bright stars; at my feet, and all around, an 
ocean of magical light, myriads of fireflies 
floating upon the soft still air. To me it 
was like a scene of enchantment. I could 
distinguish every blade ofgrass, every flower, 
each loaf on the trees, but all in a strange, 
unnatural sort of light, and in altered colours. 
Tube-roses and asters, prairie roses and gera- 



so 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



niums, dahlias and vine branches, began to 
wave and move, to range themselves in ranks 
and rows. The whole vegetable world around 
me seemed to dance, as the swarms of living 
lights passed over it. 

Suddenly out of the sea of fire sounded a 
loud and long-drawn note. I stopped, listen- 
ed, gazed around me. It was not repeated, 
and I rode on. Again the same sound, but 
this time the cadence was sad and plaintive. 
Again I made a halt, and listened. It was 
repeated a third time in a yet more melan- 
choly tone, and I recognised it as the cry 
of the whip-poor-will. Presently it was an- 
swered from a neighbouring island by a 
Katydid. My heart leaped for joy at hear- 
ing the note of this bird, the native minstrel 
of my own dear Maryland. In an instant 
the house where I was born stood before the 
eyesight of my imagination. There were the 
negro huts, the garden, the plantation, every 
thing exactly as I had left it. So powerful 
was the illusion, that I gave my horse the 
spur, persuaded that my father's house lay 
before me. The island, too, I took for the 
grove that surrovuided our house. On reach- 
ing its border, I literally dismounted, and 
shouted out for Charon Tommy. There was 
a stream running through our plantation, 
which, for nine months out of the twelve, 
was only passable by means of a ferry, and 
the old negro who officiated as ferryman 
was indebted to me for the above classical 
cognomen. I believe I called twice, nay, 
three times, but no Charon Tommy answer- 
ed ; and I awoke as from a pleasant dream, 
somewhat ashamed of the length to which 
my excited imagination had hurried me. 

I now felt so weary and exhausted, so 
hungry and thirsty, and, withal, my mind 
was so anxious and harassed by my danger- 
ous position, and the uncertainty how I should 
get out of it, that I was really incapable of 
going any further. I felt q<iite bewildered, 
and stood for some time gazing before me, 
and scarcely even troubling myself to think. 
At length I mechanically drew my clasp- 
knife from my pocket, and set to work to 
dig a hole in the rich black soil of the prai- 
rie. Into this hole I put the knotted end of 
my lasso, and then pushing it in the earth 
and stamping it down with my foot, as I had 
seen others do since I had been in Texas, I 
passed the noose over my mustang's neck, 
and left him to graze, while I myself lay 
down outside the circle which the lasso would 
allow him to describe. An odd manner, it 



may seem, of tying up a horse ; but the most 
convenient and natural one in a country 
whei'e one may often find one's-self fifty 
miles from any house, and five-and-twenty 
from a tree or bush. 

I found it no easy matter to sleep, for on 
all sides I heard the howling of wolves and 
jaguars, an unpleasant serenade at any time, 
but most of all so in the prairie, unarmed 
and defenceless as I was. My nerves, too, 
were all in commotion, and I felt so feverish, 
that I do not know what I should have done, 
had I not fortunately remembered that I had 
my cigar-case and a roll of tobacco, real 
Virginia dulcissimus, in my pocket — invalu- 
able treasures in my present situation, and 
which on this, as on many other occasions, 
did not fail to soothe and calm my agitated 
thoughts. 

Luckily, too, being a tolerably confirmed 
smoker, I carried a flint and steel with me ; 
for otherwise, although surrounded by lights, 
I should have been sadly at a loss for fire. 
A couple of Havannahs did me an infinite 
deal of good, and after a while I sunk into 
the slumber of which I stood so much in 
need. 

The day was hardly well broken when I 
awoke. The refreshing sleep I had enjoyed 
had given me new energy and courage. I 
felt hungry enough, to be sure, but light and 
cheerful, and I hastened to dig up the end of 
the lasso, and saddled my horse. I trusted 
that, though I had been condemned to wan- 
der over the prairie the whole of the prece- 
ding day, as a sort of punishment for my 
rashness, I should now have better luck, and 
having expiated my fault, be at length allow- 
ed to find my way. With this hope I 
mounted my mustang, and resumed my ride. 

I passed several beautiful islands of pecan, 
plum, and peach trees. It is a peculiarity 
worthy of remark, that these islands are 
nearly always of one sort of tree. It is very 
rare to meet with one where there are two 
sorts. Like the teasts of the forest, that herd 
together according to their kind, so does this 
wild vegetation preserve itself distinct in its 
different species. One island will be entirely 
composed of live oaks, another of plum, and 
a third of pecan trees; the vine only is com- 
mon to them all, and embraces them all alike 
in its slender but tenacious branches. I rode 
through several of these islands. They were 
perfectly free from bushes and brushwood, 
and carpeted with the most beautiful verdure 
it is possible to behold. I gazed at them in 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



81 



astonishment. It seemed incredible that na- 
ture, abandoned to hcrseH", sliould preserve 
herself so beautifully clean and pure, and I 
involuntarily looked around me for some 
trace of the hand of man. But none was 
there. I saw nothing but herds of deer, that 
gazed wonderingly at me with their large 
clear eyes, and when I approached too near, 
galloped off in alarm. What would I not 
have given for an ounce of lead, a charge of 
powder, and a Kentucky rifle? Nevertheless, 
the mere sight of the beasts gladdened me 
and raised my spirits. They were a sort 
of society. Something of the same feeling 
seemed to be imparted to my horse, who 
bounded under me, and neighed merrily as 
he cantered along in the fresh spring morning. 

I was now skirting the side of an island of 
trees of greater extent than most of those I 
had hitherto seen. On reaching the end of 
it, I suddenly came in sight of an object pre- 
senting so extraordinary an appearance as 
far to surpass any of the natural wonders I 
had as yet beheld, either in Texas or the 
United States. 

At the distance of about two miles rose a 
colossal mass, in shape somewhat like a 
monumental mound or tumulus, and appa- 
rently of the brightest silver. As I came in 
view of it, the sun was just covered by a 
passing cloud, from the lower edge of which 
the bright rays shot down obliquely upon 
this extraordinary phenomenon, lighting it 
up in the most brilliant manner. At one mo- 
ment it looked like a huge silver cone; then 
took the appearance of an illuminated castle 
with pinnacles and towers, or the dome of 
some great cathedra!; then of a gigantic ele 
phant, covered with trappings, but always of 
solid silver, and indescribably magnificent. 
Had all the treasures of the earth been offer- 
ed me to say what it was, I should have been 
unable to answer. Bewildered by my inter- 
minable wanderings in the prairie, and weak- 
ened by fatigue and hunger, a superstitious 
feeling for a moment came over me, and I 
half asked myself whether I had not reached 
some enchanted region, into which the evil 
spirit of the prairie was luring me to destruc- 
tion by appearances of supernatural strange- 
ness and beauty. 

Banishing these wild imaginings, I rode 
on in the direction of this strange object; but 
it was only when I came within a very short 
distance that I Avas able to distinguish its na- 
ture. It was a live oak of most stupendous 
dimensions, the very patriarch of the prairie, 



grown gray in the lapse of ages. Its lower 
limbs had shot out in an horizontal, or rather 
a downward, slanting direction, and, reach- 
ing nearly to the ground, formed a vast dome 
several hundred leet in diameter, and full a 
hundred and thirty feet high. It had no ap- 
pearance of a tree, for neither trunk nor 
branches were visible. It seemed a moun- 
tain of whitish-green scales, fringed with a 
long silvery moss, that hung like innumera- 
ble beards from every bough and twig. No- 
thing could better convey the idea of im- 
mense and incalculable age than the hoary 
beard and venerable appearance of this mon- 
arch of the woods. Spanish moss of a sil- 
very gray covered the whole mass of wood 
and foliage, from the topmost bough down to 
the very ground; short near the top of the 
tree, but gradually increasing in length as it 
descended, until it hung like a deep fringe 
from the lower branches. I separated the 
vegetable curtain with my hands, and enter- 
ed this august temple with feelings of invol- 
luntary awe. The change from the bright 
sunlight to the comparative darkness beneath 
the leafy vault, was so great, that I at first 
could scarcely distinguish any thing. When 
my eyes got accustomed to the gloom, how- 
ever, nothing could be more beautiful than 
the effect of the sun's rays, which in forcing 
their way through the silvered leaves and 
mosses, took as many varieties of colour as 
if they had passed thi'ough a window of 
painted glass, and gave the rich, subdued, 
and solemn light of some old cathedral. 

The trunk of the tree rose, free from all 
branches, full forty feet from the ground, 
rough and knotted, and of such enormous 
size that it might have been taken for a mass 
of rock, covered with moss and lichens, 
while many of its boughs were nearly as 
thick as the trunk of any tree I had ever pre- 
viously seen. 

I was so absorbed in the contemplation of 
the vegetable giant, that for a short space I 
almost forgot my troubles; but as I rode 
away from the tree they returned to me in 
full force, and my reflections were certainly 
of no very cheering or consolatory nature. 
I rode on, however, most perscvcringly. The 
morning slipped away; it was noon, the sun 
stood high in the cloudless heavens. My hun- 
ger was now increased to an insupportable 
degree, and I felt as if something were knaw- 
ing within mc, something like a crab tugging 
and riving at my stomach with his sharp 
claws. This feeling left me after a time, and 



82 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



was replaced by a sort of squeamishness, a 
faint sickly sensation. But if hunger was 
bad, thirst was worse. For some hours I suf- 
fered martyrdom. At length, like the hun- 
ger, it died away, and was succeeded by a 
feeling of sickness. The thirty hours' fatigue 
and fasting I had endured were beginning to 
tell upon my naturally strong nei'ves: I felt 
my reasoning powers growing weaker, and 
my presence of mind leaving me. A feeling 
of despondency came over me — a thousand 
wild fancies passed through my bewildered 
brain; while at times my head grew dizzy, 
and I reeled in my saddle like a drunken 
man. These weak fits, as I may call them, 
did not last long; and each time that I recov- 
ered I spurred my mustang onward, but it 
was all in vain — ride as far and as fast as I 
would, nothing was visible but a boundless 
sea of grass. 

At length I gave up all hope, except in 
that God whose almighty hand was so mani- 
fest in the beauteous works around me. I 
let the bridle fall on my horse's neck, clasp- 
ed my hands together, and prayed as I had 
never before prayed, so heartily and earnest- 
ly. When I had finished my prayer I felt 
greatly comforted. It seemed to me, that 
here in the wilderness, which man had not 
as yet polluted, I was nearer to God, and 
that my petition would assuredly be heard. 
I gazed cheerfully around, persuaded that I 
should yet escape from the peril in which I 
stood. As I did so, with what astonishment 
and inexpressible delight did I perceive, not 
ten paces off, the track of a horse. 

The effect of this discovery was like an 
electric shock to me, and drew a cry of joy 
from my lips that made my mustang start 
and prick his ears. Tears of delight and 
gratitude to Heaven came into my eyes, and 
I could scarcely refrain from leaping off my 
horse and kissing the welcome signs that gave 
me assurance of succour. With renewed 
strength I galloped onward ; and, had I been 
a lover flying to rescue his mistress from an 
Indian war party, I could not have displayed 
more eagerness than I did in following up 
the trail of an unknown traveller. 

Never had I felt so thankful to Providence 
as that moment. I uttered thanksgivings as 
I rode on, and contemplated the wonderful 
evidences of his skill and might, that offered 
themselves to me on all sides. The aspect 
of every thing seemed changed, and I gazed 
with renewed admiration at the scenes through 
which I passed, and which I had previously 



been too preoccupied by the danger of my 
position to notice. The beautiful appearance 
of the islands struck me particularly as they 
lay in the distance, seeming to swim in the 
bright golden beams of the noon-day sun, 
like dark spots of foliage in the midst of the 
waving grasses and many-hued flowers of 
the prairie. Before me lay the eternal flower- 
carpet with its innumerable asters, tube-roses, 
and mimosas, that delicate plant which, when 
you approach it, lifts its head, seems to look 
at you, and then droops and shrinks back in 
alarm. This I saw it do when I was two or 
three paces from it, and without my horse's 
foot having touched it. Its long roots stretch 
out horizontally in the ground, and the ap- 
proaching tread of a horse or man is com- 
municated through them to the plant, and 
produces this singular phenomenon. When 
the danger is gone by, and the earth ceases 
to vibrate, the mimosa niay be seen to raise 
its head again, but quivering and trembling 
as though not yet fully recovered from its 
fears. 

I had ridden on for three or four hours, 
following the track I had so fortunately dis- 
covered, when I came upon the trace of a 
second horseman, who appeared to have here 
joined the first traveller. It ran in a parallel 
direction to the one I was following. 

Had it been possible to increase my joy, 
this discovery would have done so. I could 
now entertain no doubt that I had hit upon 
the way out of this terrible prairie. It struck 
me as rather singular that two travellers 
should have met in this immense plain, which 
so few persons traversed, but that they had 
done so was certain, for there was the track 
of the two horses as plain as possible. The 
trail was fresh, too, and it was evidently not 
long since the horsemen had passed. It 
might still be possible to overtake them, and 
in this hope I I'ode on faster than ever, as 
fast, at least, as my mustang could carry me 
through the thick grass and flowers, which 
in many places were four or five feet high. 

During the next three hours I passed over 
some ten or twelve miles of ground ; but al- 
though the trail still lay plainly and broadly 
marked before me, I saw nothing of those 
who had left it. Still I persevered. I must 
overtake them sooner or later, provided I 
did not loose the track; and that I was most 
careful not to do, keeping my eyes fixed 
upon the ground as I rode along, not devia- 
ting from the line which the travellers had 
followed. 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



83 



In this manner the day passed away, and 
evening approached. I still felt hope and 
courage; but my physical strength began to 
give way. The gnawing sensation ot" hun- 
ger increased. I was sick and faint; my 
limbs became heavy, my blood seemed chil- 
led in my veins, and all my senses appeared 
to grow duller under the influence of exhaus- 
tion, thirst and hunger. My eyesight became 
misty, my hearing less acute, the bridle felt 
cold and heavy in my fingers. 

Still I rode on. Sooner or later I must 
find an outlet; the prairie must have an end 
somewhere. It is true the whole of Southern 
Texas is one vast prairie; but then there ai*e 
rivers flowing through it, and if I could reach 
one of those, I should not be far from the 
abodes of men. By following the streams 
five or six miles up or down, I should be 
sure to find a plantation. 

As I was thus reasoning with and encour- 
aging myself, 1 suddenly perceived the traces 
of a third horse, running parallel to the two 
which I had been so long following. This 
was indeed encouragement. It was certain 
that three travellers, arriving from different 
points of the prairie, and all going in the 
same direction, must have some object, must 
be repairing to some village or clearing, and 
where or what this was had now become 
indifferent to me, so long as I once more 
found myself among my fellow-men. I spur- 
red on my mustang, who was beginning to 
flag a little in his pace with the fatigue of 
our long ride. 

The sun set behind the high trees of an 
island that bounded my view westward, and 
there being little or no twilight in those 
southerly latitudes, the broad day was almost 
instantaneously replaced by the darkness of 
night. I could proceed no further without 
losing the track of the three horseman ; and 
as I happened to be close to an island, I 
fastened my mustang to a branch with the 
lasso, and threw myself on the grass under 
the trees. 

This night, however, I had no fancy for 
tobacco. Neither the cigars nor the diilcis- 
simus tempted me. I tried to sleep, but in 
vain. Once or twice I began to doze, but 
was roused again by violent cramps and 
twitchings in all my limbs. There is nothing 
more horrible than a night passed in the way 
I passed tliat one, faint and weak, enduring 
torture from hunger and thirst, striving after 
sleep and never finding it. I can only com- 
pare the sensation of hunger I experienced 



to that of twenty pairs of pincers tearing at 
my stomach. 

With the first gray light of morning I got 
up and prepared for departure. It was a 
long business, however, to get my horse 
ready. The saddle, which at other times I 
could throw upon his back with two fingers, 
now seemed made of lead, and it was as 
much as I could do to lift it. I had still 
more difficulty to draw the girths tight ; but 
at last I accomplished this, and scrambling 
upon my beast, rode off. Luckily my mus- 
tang's spirit was pretty well taken out of 
him by the last two days' work; for if he 
had been fresh, the smallest spring on one 
side would have sufficed to throw me out of 
the saddle. As it was, I sat upon him like 
an automaton, hanging forward over his 
neck, sometimes grasping the mane, and 
almost unable to use either rein or spur. 

I had ridden on for some hours in this 
helpless manner, when I came to a place 
where the three horsemen whose track I was 
following, had apparently made a halt, per- 
haps passed the previous night. The grass 
was trampled and beaten down in a circum- 
ference of some fifty or sixty feet, and there 
was a confusion in the horse tracks as if they 
had ridden backward and forward. Fearful 
of losing the right track, I was looking care- 
fully about me to see in what direction they 
had recommenced their journey, when I no- 
ticed something white among the long grass, 
I got off my horse to pick it up. It was a 
piece of paper with my own name written 
upon it ; and I recognised it as the back of a 
letter in which my tobacco had been wrap- 
ped, and which I had thrown away at my 
halting place of the preceding night. I look- 
ed around, and recognised the island and the 
very tree under which I had slept or endea- 
voured to sleep. The horrible truth instant- 
ly flashed across me — the horse tracks I had 
been following were my own: since the pre- 
ceding morning I had been riding in a cir- 
cle/ 

I stood for a few seconds thunderstruck 
by this discovery, and then sank upon the 
ground in utter despair. At that moment I 
should have been thankful to any one who 
would have knocked me on the head as I 
lay. All I wished for was to die as speedily 
as possible. 

I remained I know not how long lying in 
a desponding, half insensible, state upon the 
grass. Several hours must have elapsed; 
for when I got up the sun was low in the 



84 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



western heavens. IMy head was so -weak 
and wandering, that I could not well explain 
to myself how it was that I had been thus 
riding after my own shadow. Yet the thing 
was clear enough. Without landmarks, and 
in the monotonous scenery of the prairie, I 
might have gone on for ever following my 
horse's track, and going back when I thought 
I was going forward, had it not been for the 
discovery of the tobacco paper. I was, as I 
subsequently learned, in the Jacinto prairie, 
one of the most beautiful in Texas, full sixty 
miles long and broad, but in which the most 
experienced hunters never risked themselves 
without a compass. It was little wonder 
then that I, a mere boy of two and twenty, 
just escaped from college, should have gone 
astray in it. 

I now gave myself up for lost, and with 
the bridle twisted round my hand, and hold- 
ing on as well as I could by the saddle and 
mane, I let my horse choose his own road. 
It would perhaps have been better if I had 
done this sooner. The beast's instinct would 
probably have led him to some plantation. 
When he found himself left to his own 
guidance he threw up his head, snuffed the 
air three or four times, and then turning 
round, set off in a contrary direction to that 
he was before going, and at such a brisk 
pace, that it was as much as I could do to 
keep upon him. Every jolt caused me so 
much pain that I was more than once tempted 
to let myself fall off" his back. 

At last night came, and thanks to the 
lasso, which kept my horse in awe, I managed 
to dismount and secure him. The whole 
night through I suffered from racking pains 
in my head, limbs, and body. I felt as if I 
had been broken on the wheel ; not an inch 
of my whole person but ached and smarted. 
My hands were grown thin and transparent, 
my cheeks fallen in, my eyes deep sunk in 
their sockets. When I touched my face I 
could feel the change that had taken place, 
and as I did so I caught myself once or 
twice laughing like a child — I was becoming 
delirious. 

In the morning I could scarcely rise from 
the ground, so utterly weakened and exhaust- 
ed was I by my three days' fasting, anxiety, 
and fatigue. I have heard say that a man 
in good health can live nine days without 
food. It may be so in a room, or a prison ; 
but assuredly not in a Texan prairie. I am 
quite certain that the fifth day would have 
seen the last of me. 



I should never have been able to mount 
my mustang, but he had fortunately lain 
down, so I got into the saddle, and he rose 
up with me and started off' of his own accord. 
As I rode along, the strangest visions seemed 
to pass before me. I saw the most beautiful 
cities that a painter's fancy ever conceived, 
with towers, cupolas, and columns, of which 
the summits lost themselves in the clouds; 
marble basins and fountains of bright spark- 
ling water, rivers flowing with liquid gold 
and silver, and gardens in which the trees 
were bowed down \vith the most magnificent 
fruit; fruit that I had not strength enough to 
raise my hand and pluck. My limbs were 
heavy as lead, my tongue, lips, and gums, 
dry and parched. I breathed with the great- 
est difficulty, and within me was a burning 
sensation, as if I had swallowed hot coals; 
while my extremities, both hands and feet, j 
did not appear to form a part of myself, but i 
to be instruments of torture affixed to me, and 
causing me the most intense suffering. 

I have a confused recollection of a sort of 
rushing noise, the nature of which I was 
unable to determine, so nearly had all con- 
sciousness left me; then of finding myself 
among trees, the leaves and boughs of which 
scratched and beat agamst my face as 1 
passed through ; then of a sudden and rapid 
descent, with the broad bright surface of a 
river below me. I clutched at a branch, but 
my fingers had no strength to retain their 
grasp ; there was a hissing, splashing noise, 
and the waters closed over my head. 

I soon rose, and endeavoured to strike out 
with my arms and legs, but in vain ; I was 
too weak to swim, and again I went down. 
A thousand lights seemed to dance before 
my eyes : there was a noise in my brain as 
if a four-and-twenty pounder had been fired 
close to my ear. Just then a hard hand was 
wrung into my neckcloth, and I felt myself 
dragged out of the water. The next instant 
my senses left me. 

No. II. — A Trial ey Jury. 

When I recovered from my state of insen- 
sibility, and once more opened my eyes, I 
was lying on the bank of a small but deep 
river. My horse was grazing quietly a few 
yards off', and beside me stood a man with 
folded arms, holding a wicker-covered flask 
in his hand. This was all I was able to ob- 
serve; for my state of weakness prevented 
me from getting up and looking around me. 



ADVENTURES IN JEXAS. 



85 



" Where am I ?" I gasped. 

" Where are you, stranger? By the Ja- 
cinto ; and that you arc by it, and not in it, 
is no fault of your'n, I reckon," 

There was something harsh and repulsive 
in the tone and manner in which these words 
were spoken, and in the grating scornful 
laugh that accompanied them, that jarred 
upon my nerves, and inspired me with a 
feeling of aversion towards the speaker. I 
knew that he was my deliverer ; that he had 
saved my life, when my mustang, raging 
with thirst, had sprung head-foremost into 
the water ; that, without him, I must inevi- 
tably have been drowned, even had the river 
been less deep than it was ; and that it was 
by his care, and the whisky he had made 
me swallow, and of which 1 still felt the fla- 
vour on my tongue, that I had been recover- 
ed from the death-like swoon into which I 
had fallen. But had he done ten times as 
much for me, I could not have repressed the 
feeling of repugnance, the inexplicable dis- 
like, with which the mere tones of his voice 
filled me. I turned my head away in order 
not to see him. There was a silence of some 
moments' duration. 

" Don't seem as if my company was over 
and above agreeable," said the man at last. 

" Your company not agreeable? This is 
the fourth day since I saw the face of a 
human beinij. During that time not a bit 
nor a drop has passed my tongue." 

" Hallo! That's a lie," shouted the man 
with another strange wild laugh. " You've 
taken a mouthful out of my flask; not taken 
it, certainly, but it went over your tongue 
all (he same. Where do you come from? 
The beast ain't your'n." 

" Mr. Neal's," answered I. 

" See it is by the brand. But what brings 
you here from Mr. Neal's? It's a good 
seventy mile to his plantation, right across 
the prairie. Ain't stole the horse, have you?" 

" Lost my way — four days — eaten no- 
thing." 

These words were all I could articulate. I 
was too weak to talk. 

" Four days without eatin'," cried the 
man, with a laugh like sharpening of a saw, 
" and that in a Texas prairie, and with 
islands on all sides of you! Ha! I see how 
it is. You're a gentleman — that's plain 
enough. I was a sort of one myself once. 
You thought our Texas prairies was like the 
prairies in the States. Ha, ha! And so you 
didn't know how to help yourself. Did you 
Volume V^. — 8 



see no bees in the air, no strawberries on 

the earth?" 

" Bees ? Strawberries ?" repeated I. 

" Yes, bees, which live in the hollow trees. 
Out of twenty-three trees there's sure to be 
one full of honey. So you saw no bees, eh? 
Perhaps you don't know the creturs' when 
you see 'em? Ain't altogether so big as wild- 
geese or turkeys. But you must know what 
strawberries are, and that they don't grow 
upon the trees." 

All this was spoken in the same sneering 
savage manner as before, with the speaker's 
head half turned over his shoulder, while his 
ieatures were distorted into a contemptuous 
grin. 

" And if I had seen the bees, how was I 
to get at the honey without an axe ?" 

" How did you lose yourself?" 

" My mustang — ran away" — 

" I see. And you after him. You'd have 
done better to let him run. But what d'ye 
mean to do now?" 

"lam weak — sick to death. I wish to 
get to the nearest house — an inn — anywhere 
where men are." 

" Where men are," repeated the stranger, 
with his scornful smile. " Where men are," 
he muttered again, taking a {gw steps on one 
side. 

I was hardly able to turn my head, but 
there was something strange in the man's 
movement that alarmed me ; and, making a 
violent eifort, I changed my position sutli- 
ciently to get him in sight again. He had 
drawn a long knife from his girdle, which 
he clutched in one hand, while he ran the 
fore finger of the other along its edge. I 
now for the first time got a full view of his 
lace, and the impression it made upon me 
was any thing but favourable. His counte- 
nance was the wildest I had ever seen ; his 
bloodshot eyes rolled like balls of fire in their 
sockets; while his movements and manner 
were indicative of a violent inward struggle. 
He did not stand still for three seconds to- 
gether, but paced backwards and forwards 
with hurried irregular steps, casting wild 
glances over his shoulder, his fingers play- 
ing all the while with the knife, with the 
rapid and objectless movements of a ma- 
niac. 

I felt convinced that I was the cause of 
the struggle visibly going on within him ; 
that my life or death was what he was decid- 
ing upon. But in the state I then was, death 
had no terror for me. The image of my 



86 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



mother, sisters, and father, passed before my 
eyes. I gave one thought to my peaceful 
happy home, and then looked upwards and 
prayed. 

The man had walked off to some distance. 
I turned myself a little more round, and, as 
I did so, I caught sight of the same magnifi- 
cent phenomenon which I had met with on 
the second day of iny wanderings. The 
colossal live oak rose in all its silvery splen- 
dour, at the distance of a couple of miles. 
Whilst I was gazing at it, and reflecting on 
the strange ill luck that had made me pass 
within so short a distance of the river with- 
out finding it, I saw my new acquaintance 
approach a neighbouring cluster of trees, 
amongst which he disappeared. 

After a short time I again perceived him 
coming towards me with a slow and stagger- 
ing step. As he drew near, I had an oppor- 
tunity of examining his whole appearance. 
He was very tall and lean, but large-boned, 
and apparently of great strength. His face, 
which had not been shaved for several weeks 
was so tanned by sun and weather, that he 
might have been taken for an Indian, had 
not the beard proved his claim to white 
blood. But his eyes where what most struck 
me. There was something so frightfully 
wild in their expression, a look of terror and 
desperation, like that of a man whom all the 
furies of hell were hunting and persecuting. 
His hair hung in long ragged locks over his 
forehead, cheeks, and neck, and round his 
head was bound a handkerchief, on which 
were several stains of a brownish black co- 
lour. Spots of the same kind were visible 
upon his leathern jacket, breeches, and mo- 
cassins; they were evidently blood stains. 
His hunting knife, which was nearly two 
feet long, with a rude wooden handle, was 
now replaced in his girdle, but in its stead 
he held a Kentucky rifle in his hand. 

Although I did my utmost to assume an 
indifierent countenance, my features doubt- 
less expressed something of the repugnance 
and horror with which the man inspired me. 
He looked loweringly at me for a moment 
from under his shaggy eyebrows. 

" You don't seem to like the company 
you've got into," said he. " Do I look so 
very desperate, then ? Is it written so plainly 
on my face?" 

" What should there be written on your 
face?" 

" What? AVhal? Fools and children ask 
them questions." 



" I will ask you none; but as a Christian, 
as my countryman, I beseech you" 

" Christian !" interrupted he, with a hol- 
low laugh. "Countryman!" He struck the 
but of his rifle hard upon the ground. " That 
is my countryman — my only friend!" he 
continued, as he examined the flint and lock 
of his weapon. " That releases from all 
troubles: that's a true friend. Pooh! per- 
haps it'll release you too — put you to rest." 

These last words were uttered aside, and 
musingly. 

" Put him to rest, as well as Pooh I 

One more or less — Perhaps it would drive 
away that cursed spectre." 

All this seemed to be spoken to his rifle. 

" Will you swear not to betray me?" 
cried he to me. " Else, one touch" 

As he spoke, he brought the gun to his 
shoulder, the muzzle pointed full at my 
breast. 

I felt no fear. I am sure my pulse did not 
give a throb the more for this menace. So 
deadly weak and helpless as I lay, it was un- 
necessary to shoot me. The slightest blow 
from the but of the rifle would have driven 
the last faint spark of life out of my exhausted 
body. I looked calmly, indifferently even, 
into the muzzle of the piece. 

" If you can answer it to your God, to 
your and my judge and creator, do your 
will." 

My words, which from faintness I could 
scarcely render audible, had, nevertheless, a 
sudden and startling effect upon the man. 
He trembled from head to foot, let the but of 
his gun fall heavily to the ground, and gazed 
at me with open mouth and staring eyes. 

" This one, too, comes with his God !" 
muttered he. " God ! and your and my 
creator — and — judge." 

He seemed hardly able to articulate these 
words, which were uttered by gasps and 
efforts, as though something had been chok- 
ing him. 

" His and my — judge" — groaned he again. 
" Can there be a God, a creator and a 
judge?" 

As he stood thus muttering to himself, his 
eyes suddenly became fixed, and his features 
horribly distorted. 

" Do it not !" cried he, in a shrill tone of 
horror, that rang through my head. " It 
will bring no blessin' with it. I am a dead 
man ! God be merciful to me I My poor 
wife, my poor children !" 

The rifle fell from his hands, and he smote 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



87 



his breast and forehead in a paroxysm of 
the wildest fury. It was frightful to behold 
the conscience-stricken wretch, stamping 
madly about, and casting glances of terror 
behind him, as though demons had been hunt- 
ing him down. The foam flew from his 
mouth, and I expected each moment to see 
him fall to the ground in a fit of epilepsy. 
Gradually, however, he became more tran- 
quil. 

" D'ye see nothin' in my face ?" said he 
in a hoarse whisper, suddenly pausing close 
to where 1 lay. 

" What should I see?" 
He came yet nearer. 
" Look well at me — throitfrJi me, if you 
can. D'ye see nothin' now ?" 
" I see nothing," replied I. 
" Ah! I understand, you can see nothin'. 
Ain't in a spyin' humour, I calkilate. No, 
no, that you ain't. After lour days and 
nights fastin', one loses the fancy for many 
things. I've tried it for two days myself 
So, you are weak and faint, eh ? But I 
needn't ask that I reckon. You look bad 
enough. Take another drop of whisky; it'll 
strengthen you. But wait till I mix it." 

As he spoke, he stepped down to the edge 
of the river, and scooping up the water in 
the hollow of his hand, filled his flask with 
it. Then returning to me, he poured a little 
into my mouth. 

Even the blood-thirsty Indian appears less 
of a savage when engaged in a compassion- 
ate act, and the wild desperado I had fallen 
in with, seemed softened and humanized by 
the service he was rendering me. His voice 
sounded less harsh; his manner was calmer 
and milder. 

" You wish to go to an inn?" 
" For Heaven's sake, yes. These four 
days I have tasted nothing but a bit of to- 
bacco." 

" Can you spare a bit of that?" 
" All I have." 

I handed him my cigar case, and the roll 
oC dulcissimiis. He snatched the latter from 
me, and bit into it with the furious eagerness 
of a wolf 

" Ah, the right sort this !" muttered he 
to himself " Ah, young man, or old man — 
you're an old man, ain't you ? How old are 
you?" 

" Two-and-twenty." 
He shook his head doublingly. 
" Can hardly believe that. I3ut four days 
in the prairie, and nothin' to eat. Well, it 



may be so. But, stranger, if I had had this 

bit of tobacco only ten days ago A bit of 

tobacco is worth a deal sometimes. It might 
have saved a man's life" 

Again he groaned, and his accents became 
wild and unnatural. 

" I say, stranger!" cried he in a threaten- 
ing tone. "I say! D'ye see yonder live oak? 
D'ye see it? It's the Patriarch, and a finer 
and mightier one you won't find in the prai- 
ries, I reckon. D'ye see it?" 

" I do see it." 

"Ah! you see it," cried he fiercely. "And 
what is it to you? What have you to do with 
the Patriarch, or with what lies under it? I 
reckon you had best not be too curious that 
way. If you dare take a step under that 
tree." — Pie swore an oath too horrible to be 
repeated. 

" There's a spectre there," cried he ; "a 
spectre that would fright you to death. Bet- 
ter keep away." 

" I will keep away," replied I. " I never 
thought of going near it. All I want is to 
get to the nearest plantation or inn." 

" Ah ! true, man — the next inn. I'll show 
you the way to it. I will." 

" You will save my life by so doing," said 
I, " and I shall be ever grateful to you as 
my deliverer." 

" Deliverer !" repeated he with a wild 
laugh. " Pooh! If you knew what sort of 
a deliverer — Pooh! what's the use of savin' 
a life, when — yet I will — I will save yours; 
perhaps the cursed spectre will leave me then. 
Will you not? Will you not?" cried he, 
suddenly changing his scornful mocking 
tones to those of entreaty and supplication, 
and turning his face in the direction of the 
live oak. Again his wildness of manner re- 
turned, and his eyes became fixed, as he 
gazed for some moments at the gigantic tree. 
Then darting away, he disappeared among 
the trees, whence he had fetched his rifle, 
and presently emerged again, leading a ready 
saddled horse with him. He called tome to 
mount mine, but seeing that I was unable 
even to rise from the ground, he stepped up 
to me, and with the greatest ease lifted me 
into the saddle with one hand, so light had I 
become during my long fast. Then taking 
the end of my lasso, he got upon his own 
horse and set off leading my mustang after 
him. 

We rode on for some time without ex- 
changing a word. ]My guide kept up a sort 
of muttered soliloquy; but as I was full ten 



88 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



paces in his rear, I could distinguish nothing 
of what he said. At times he would raise 
his rifle to his shoulder, then lower it again, 
and speak to it, sometimes caressingly, some- 
limes in anger. More than once he turned 
his head, and cast keen searching glances 
at me, as though to see whether I were 
watching him or not. 

We had ridden more than an hour, and 
the strength which the whisky had given 
me was fast failing, so that I expected each 
moment to fall from my horse, when sud- 
denly I caught sight of a kind of rude hedge, 
and almost immediately afterwards the wall 
of a small block house became visible. A 
faint cry of joy escaped me, and I endea- 
voured but in vain to give my horse the spur. 
My guide turned round, fixed his wild eyes 
upon me, and spoke in a threatening tone. 

"You are impatient, man! impatient, I 
see. You think now, perhaps" 

" I am dying," was all I could utter. In 
fact, my senses were leaving me from ex- 
haustion, and I really thought my last hour 
was come. 

"Pooh! dyin'! One don't die so easy. 
And yet — d n ! — it might be true." 

He sprang off his horse, and was just in 
time to catch me in his arms as I fell from 
the saddle. A hw drops of whisky, however, 
restored me to consciousness. My guide 
replaced me upon my mustang, and after 
passing through a potato ground, a field of 
Indian corn, and a small grove of peach-trees, 
we found ourselves at the door of the block- 
house. 

I was so utterly helpless, that my strange 
companion was obliged to lift me oif my 
horse, and carry me into the dwelling. He 
sat me down upon a bench, passive and pow- 
erless as an infant. Strange to say, how- 
ever, I was never better able to observe all 
that passed around mo, than during the few 
hours of bodily debility that succeeded my 
immersion in the Jacinto. A blow with a 
reed would have knocked me off my seat, 
but my mental faculties, instead of partici- 
pating in this weakness, seemed sharpened 
to an unusual degree of acuteness. 

The blockhouse in which we now were, 
was of the poorest possible description ; a 
mere log hut, consisting of one room, that 
served as kitchen, sitting-room, and bed- 
chamber. The door of rough planks swung 
heavily upon two hooks that fitted into iron 
rings, and formed a clumsy substitute for 
hinges ; a wooden latch and heavy bar served 



to secure it; windows, properly speaking 
there were none, but in their stead a few 
holes covered with dirty oiled paper ; the 
floor was of clay, stamped hard and dry in 
the middle of the hut, but out of which, at 
the sides of the room, a crop of rank grass 
was growing, a foot or more high. In one 
corner stood a clumsy bedstead, in another a 
sort of table or counter, on which were half 
a dozen drinking glasses of various sizes and 
patterns. The table consisted of four thick 
posts, firmly planted in the ground, and on 
which were nailed three boards that had ap- 
parently belonged to some chest or case, for 
they were partly painted, and there was a 
date, and the three first letters of a word 
upon one of them. A shelf fixed against 
the side of the hut supported an earthen pot 
or two, and three or four bottles, uncorked, 
and apparently empty; and from some 
wooden pegs wedged in between the logs, 
hung suspended a few articles of wearing 
apparel of no very cleanly aspect. 

Pacing up and down the hut with a kind 
of stealthy cat-like pace, was an individual, 
whose unprepossessing exterior was in good 
keeping with the wretched appearance of 
this Texian shebeen house. He was an un- 
dersized, stooping figure, red-haired, large 
mouthed, and possessed of small, reddish, 
pig's eyes, which he seemed totally unable 
to raise from the ground, and the lowering, 
hang-dog expression of which, corresponded 
fully with the treacherous, panther-like steaU 
thiness of his step and movements. With- 
out greeting us either by word or look, this 
personage dived into a dark corner of his ten- 
ement, brought out a full bottle, and placing 
it on the table beside the glasses, resumed 
the monotonous sort of exercise in which he 
had been indulging on our entrance. 

My guide and deliverer said nothing while 
the tavern-keeper was getting out the bottle, 
although he seemed to watch all his move- 
ments with a keen and suspicious eye. He 
now filled a large glass of spirits, and tossed 
it off at a single draught. When he had done 
this, he spoke for the first time. 

" .Johnny !" 

Johnny made no answer. 

" This gentleman has eaten nothing for 
four days." 

" Indeed !" replied Johnny, without look- 
ing up, or intermitting his sneaking, restless 
walk from one corner of the room to the 
other. 

" I said four days, d'ye hear? Four days. 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



89 



Bring him tea immediately, strong tea, and 
then make some good beef soup. The tea 
must be ready directly, the soup in an hour 
at furthest ; d'ye understand ? And then I 
want some whisky for myself, and a beef- 
steak and potatoes. Now, tell all that to 
your Sambo." 

Johnny did not seem to hear, but continued 
his walk, creeping along with noiseless step, 
and each time that he turned, giving a sort 
of spring like a cat or a panther. 

" I 've money, Johnny," said my guide. 
" Money, man, d'ye hear?" And so saying, 
he produced a tolerably full purse. 

For the first time Johnny raised his head, 
gave an indefinable sort of glance at the 
purse, and then springing forward, fixed his 
small, cunning eyes upon those of my guide, 
while a smile of strange meaning spread over 
his rejjulsive features. 

The two men stood for the space of a min- 
ute, staring at each other, without uttering a 
word. An infernal grin distended Johnny's 
coarse mouth from ear to ear. My guide 
seemed to gasp for breath. 

' I 've money," cried he at last, striking 
the but of his rifle violently on the ground. 
"D'ye understand, Johnny? Money; and 
a rifle too, if needs be." 

He stepped to the table and filled another 
glass of raw spirits, which disappeared like 
the preceding one. While he drank, Johnny 
stole out of the room so softly, that my com- 
panion was only made aware of his depar- 
ture by the noise of the wooden latch. He 
then came up to me, took me in his arms 
without saying a word, and, carrying me to 
the bed, laid me gently down upon it. 

" You make yourself at home," snarled 
Johnny, who just then came in again. 

" Always do that, I reckon, when I 'm in 
a tavern," answered my guide, quietly pour- 
ing out and swallowing another glassful. 
" The gentleman shall have your bed to-day. 
You and Sambo may sleep in the pigsty. 
You have none though, I believe?" 

"Bob!" screamed Johnny, furiously. 

"That's my name— Bob Rock." 

" For the present," hissed Johnny, with a 
sneer. 

" The same as yours is Johnny Down," 
replied Bob, in the same tone. " Pooh ! 
Johnny, guess we know one another?" 

" Rayther calkilate we do," replied Johnny 
through his teeth. 

" And have done many a day," laughed 
Bob. 

8* 



" You 're the famous Bob from Sodoma, 
in Georgia." 

" Sodoma in Alabama, Johnny, Sodoma 
lies in Alabama," said Bob, filling another 
glass. " Don't you know that yet, you who 
were above a year in Columbus, doin' all 
sorts of dirty work ?" 

" Better hold your tongue. Bob," said 
Johnny, with a dangerous look at me. 

"Pooh! don't mind him; he won't talk, 
I 'U answer for it. He 's lost the taste for 
chatterin' in the Jacinto prairie. But Sodo- 
ma," continued Bob, "is in Alabama, man! 
Columbus in Georgia! They are parted by 
the Chatahoochie. Ah! that was a jolly life 
we led on the Chatahoochie. But nothin' 
lasts in this world, as my old schoolmaster 
used to say. Pooh! They've druv the 
Injuns a step further over the Mississippi 
now. But it was a glorious life — warn't it?" 

Again he filled his glass and drank. 

The information I gathered from this con- 
versation, as to the previous life and habits 
of these two men, had nothing in it very 
satisfactory or re-assuring for me. In the 
whole of the south-western states there was 
no place that could boast of being the resort 
of so many outlaws and bad characters as 
the town of Sodoma. It is situated, or was 
situated, at least, a few years previously to 
the time I speak of, in Alabama, on Indian 
ground, and was the harbour of refuge for 
all the murderers and outcasts from the wes- 
tern and south-western parts of the Union. 
Here, under Indian government, they found 
shelter and security; and frightful were the 
crimes and cruelties perpetrated at this place. 
Scarcely a day passed without an assassina- 
tion, not secretly committed, but in broad 
sunlight. Bands of these wretches, armed 
with knives and rifles, used to cross the 
Chatahoochie, and make inroads into Colum- 
bus; break into houses, rob, murder, ill-treat 
women, and then return in triumph to their 
dens, laden with booty, and laughing at the 
laws. It was useless to think of pursuing 
them, or of obtaining justice, for they were 
on Indian territory; and many of the chiefs 
were in league with them. At length Gen- 
eral Jackson and the government took it up. 
The Indians were driven over the Missis- 
sippi, the outlaws and murderers fled, Sodo- 
ma itself disappeared; and, released from its 
troublesome neighbours, Columbus is now as 
flourishing a town as any in the west. 

The recollections of their former life and 
exploits seemed highly interesting to the two 



90 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



comrades; and their communications became 
more and more confidential. Johnny filled 
himself a glass, and the conversation soon 
increased in animation. I could understand 
little of what they said, for they spoke a sort 
of thieves' jargon. After a time, their voices 
sounded as a confused hum in my ears, the 
objects in the room became gradually less 
distinct, and I fell asleep. 

I was roused, not very gently, by a mu- 
latto woman, who poured a spoonful of tea 
into my mouth before I had well opened my 
eyes. She at first did not appear to be 
attending to me with any great degree of 
good-will; but by the time she had given 
me half a dozen spoonsful, her womanly 
sympathy began to be awakened, and her 
manner became kinder. The tea did me an 
infinite deal of good, and seemed to infuse 
new life into my veins. I finished the cup, 
and the mulatto laid me down again on my 
pillow with far more gentleness than she had 
lifted me up. 

" Gor ! Gor !" cried she, " what poor young 
man! Berry weak. Him better soon. One 
hour, massa, good soup." 

" Soup! What do you want with soup?" 
grumbled Johnny. 

" Him take soup. I cook it," screamed 
the woman. 

" Worse for you if she don't, Johnny," 
said Bob. 

Johnny muttered something in reply, but 
I did not distinguish what it was, for my 
eyes closed, and 1 again fell asleep. 

It seemed to me as if I had been five min- 
utes slumbering, when the mulatto returned 
with the soup. The tea had revived me, but 
this gave me strength ; and when I had taken 
it, I was able to sit up in my bed. 

W^hile the woman was feeding me. Bob 
was eating his beefsteak. It was a piece of 
meat that might have sufficed for six persons, 
but the man seemed as hungry as if he had 
eaten nothing for three days. He cut oft' 
wedges half as big as his fist, swallowed 
them with ravenous eagerness, and, instead 
of bread, bit into some unpeeled potatoes. 
All this was washed down with glass after 
glass of raw spirits, which had the effect of 
wakening him up, and infusing a certain de- 
gree of cheerfulness into his strange humour. 
He still spoke more to himself than to John- 
ny, but his recollections seemed agreeable; 
he nodded self-approvingly, and sometimes 
laughed aloud. At last he began to abuse 
Johnny for being, as he said, such a sneak- 



ing, cowardly fellow — such a treacherous, 
false-hearted gallows-bird. 

" It's true," said he, " I am gallows-bird 
enough myself, but then I'm open, and no man 
can say I'm a-fear'd ; but Johnny, who" 

I do not know what he was about to say, 
for Johnny sprang towards him, and placed 
both hands over his mouth, receiving in re- 
turn a blow that knocked him as far as the 
door, through which he retreated, cursing 
and grumbling. 

I soon fell asleep again, and whilst in that 
state I had a confused sort of consciousness 
of various noises in the room, loud words, 
blows, and shouting. Wearied as I was, 
however, I bcilieve no noise would have fully 
roused me, although hunger at last did. 

When I opened my eyes I saw the mulat- 
to woman sitting by my bed, and keeping off 
the musquitoes. She brought me the remain- 
der of the soup, and promised, if I would 
sleep a couple of hours more, to bring me a 
beef-steak. Before the two hours had elapsed 
I awoke, hungrier than ever. After I had 
eaten all the beefsteak the woman would al- 
low me, which was a very moderate quan- 
tity, she brought me a beer-glass full of the 
most delicious punch I ever tasted. I asked 
her where she had got the rum and lemons, 
and she told me that it was she who had 
bought them, as well as a stock of coffee and 
tea; that Johnny w^as her partner, but that 
he had done nothing but build the house, and 
badly built it was. She then began to abuse 
Johnny, and said he was a gambler; and, 
worse still, that he had had plenty of money 
once, but had lost it all ; that she had first 
known him in Lower Natchez, but he had 
been obliged to run away from there in the 
night to save his neck. Bob was no better, 
she said; on the contrary — and here she 
made the gesture of cutting a man's throat — 
he was a very bad fellow, she added. He 
had got drunk after his dinner, knocked 
Johnny down, and broken every thing. He 
was now lying asleep outside the door; and 
Johnny had hidden himself somewhere. 

How long she continued speaking I know 
not, for I again fell into a deep sleep, w hich 
this time lasted six or seven hours. 

I was awakened by a strong grasp laid 
upon mv arm, which made me cry out, more, 
however, from surprise than pain. Bob stood 
by my bedside; the traces of the preceding 
night's debauch plainly written on his hag- 
gard countenance. His bloodshot eyes were 
inflamed and swollen, and rolled with even 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



91 



more than their usual wildness; his mouth 
was open, and the jaws stiff and fixed; he 
looked as if he had just come from commit- 
ting some frightful deed. I could fancy the 
first murderer to have worn such an aspect 
when gazing on the body of his slaughtered 
brother. I shrank back, horror-struck at his 
appearance. 

"In God's name, man, what do you 
want r' 

He made no answer. 

" You are in a fever. You've the ague !" 

" Ay, a fever," groaned he, shivering as 
he spoke; "a fever, but not the one you 
mean; a fever, young man, such as God 
keep you from ever having." 

His whole frame shuddered while he utter- 
ed these words. There was a short pause. 

" Curious that," continued he; " I've serv- 
ed more than one in the same way, but never 
thought of it afterwards — was forgotten in 
less tlian no time. Got to pay the whole 
score at once, I suppose. Can't r6st a minute. 
In the open prairie it's the worst ; there stands 
the old man, so plain, with his silver beard, 
and the spectre just behind him." 

His eyes rolled, he clenched his fists, and, 
striking his forehead furiously, rushed out of 
the hut. 

In a few minutes he returned, apparently 
more composed, and walked straight up to 
my bed. 

" Stranger, you must do me a service," 
said he abruptly. 

" Ten rather than one," replied I ; " any 
thing that is in my power. Do I not owe 
you my life?" 

" You're a gentleman, I see, and a Chris- 
tian. You must come with me to the squire 
—the Alcalde." 

" To the Alcalde, man ! What must I go 
there for?" 

" You'll see and hear when you get there; 
I've something to tell him — something for his 
own ear." 

He drew a deep breath, and remained silent 
for a short time, gazing anxiously on all sides 
of him. 

" Something," whispered he, " that no- 
body else must hear." 

" But there's Johnny there. Why not take 
him?" 

" Johnny!" cried he, with a scornful laugh ; 
" Johnny ! who's ten times worse than I am, 
bad as I be; and bad I am to be sure, but 
yet open and above board, always, till this 
time ; but Johnny ! he'd sell his own mother. 



He's a cowardly, sneakin', treacherous hound, 
is Johnny." 

It was unnecessary to tell me this, for John- 
ny's character was written plainly enough 
upon his countenance. 

" But why do you want me to go to the 
Alcalde?" 

" Why does one want people before the 
judge? He's a judge, man; a Mexican one 
certainly, but chosen by us Americans; and 
an American himself, as you and I are." 

" And how soon must I go?" 

" Directly. I can't bear it any longer. It 
leaves me no peace. Not an hour's rest have 
I had for the last eight days. When I go 
out into the prairie, the spectre stands before 
me and beckons me on ; and if I try to go 
another way, he comes behind me and drives 
me before him under the Patriarch. I see 
him just as plainly as when he was alive, 
only paler and sadder. It seems as if I could 
touch him with my hand. Even the bottle is 
no use now; neither rum, nor whisky, nor 
brandy, rid me of him ; it don't, by the 'tar- 
nel. — Curious that! I got drunk yesterday — 
thought to get rid cf him ; but he came in the 
night and drove me out. I was obliged to 
go. Wouldn't let me sleep ; was forced to go 
under the Patriarch." 

" Under the Patriarch? the live oak?" cried 
I, in astonishment. — " Were you therein the 
night?" 

" Ay, that was I," replied he, in the same 
horribly confidential tone ; " and the spirit 
threatened me, and said I will leave you no 
peace. Bob, till you go to the Alcalde and tell 
him" 

" Then I will go with you to the Alcalde, 
and that immediately," said I, raising myself 
up in bed. I could not help pitying the poor 
fellow from my very soul. 

" Where are you going?" croaked Johnny, 
who at this moment glided into the room. 
" Not a step shall you stir till you've paid." 

" Johnny," said Bob, seizing his less pow- 
erful companion by the shoulders, lifting him 
up like a child, and then setting him down 
again with such force, that his knees crack- 
ed .and bent under him ; — " Johnny, this gen- 
tleman is my guest, d'ye understand? And 
here is the rcckonin', and mind yourself, 
Johnny — mind yourself, that's all," 

Johnny crept into a corner like a flogged 
hound; the mulatto woman, however, did not 
seem disposed to be so easily intimidated. 
Sticking her arms in her sides, she waddled 
boldly forward. 



92 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



" You not take him 'way, Massa Bob?" 
screamed she. " Him stop here. Him berry 
weak — not able for ride — not able for stand 
on him foot." 

This was true enough. Strong as I had 
felt in bed, I could hardly stand upright 
when I got out of it. 

For a moment Bob seemed undecided, but 
only for one moment; then, stepping up to 
the mulatto, he lifted her, fat and heavy as 
she was, in the same manner as he had done 
her partner, at least a foot from the ground, 
and carried her screaming and struggling to 
the door, which he kicked open. Then set- 
ting her down outside, " Silence!" roai'ed he, 
" and some good strong tea instead of your 
cursed chatter, and a fresh beefsteak instead 
of your stinking carcass. That will strength- 
en the gentleman ; so be quick about it, you 
old brown-skinned beast, you!" 

I had slept in my clothes, and my toilet 
was consequently soon made, by the help of 
a bowl of water and towel, which Bob made 
Johnny bring, and then ordered him to go 
and get our horses ready. 

A hearty breakfast of tea, butter, Indian 
corn bread, and steaks, increased my strength 
so much, that I was able to mount my mus- 
tang. I had still pains in all my limbs, but 
we rode slowly; the morning was bright, the 
air fresh and elastic, and I felt myself get- 
ting gradually better. Our path lay through 
the prairie; the river fringed with wood, on 
the one hand ; the vast ocean of grass, sprink- 
led with innumerable islands of trees, on the 
other. We saw abundance of game, which 
sprang up under the very feet of our horses ; 
but although Bob had his rifle, he made no 
use of it. He muttered continually to him- 
self, and seemed to be arranging what he 
should say to the judge ; for I heard him 
talking of things which I would just as soon 
not have listened to, if I could have helped it. 
I was heartily glad when we at length reach- 
ed the plantation of the Alcalde. 

It seemed a very considerable one, and the 
size and appearance of the framework house 
bespoke comfort and every luxury. The 
building was surrounded by a group of Chi- 
na trees, which I should have thought about 
ten years of age, but which I afterwards 
learned had not been planted half that time, 
although they were already large enough to 
afford a very agreeable shade. Right in 
front of the house rose a live oak, inferior in 
size to the one in the prairie, but still of im- 
mense age and great beauty. To the left 



were some two hundred acres of cotton fields, 
extending to the bank of the Jacinto, which 
at this spot made a sharp turn, and winding 
round the plantation, enclosed it on three 
sides. Before the house lay the prairie, with 
its archipelago of islands, and herds of graz- 
ing cattle and mustangs; to the right, more 
cotton fields ; and in rear of the dwelling, 
the negro cottages and out-buildings. There 
was a Sabbath-like stillness pervading the 
whole scene, which seemed to strike even 
Bob. He paused as though in deep thought, 
and allowed his hand to rest for a moment 
on the handle of the lattice-door. Then with 
a sudden and resolute jerk, bespeaking an 
equally sudden resolution, he pushed open 
the gate, and we entered a garden planted 
with orange, banana, and citron trees, the 
path through which was enclosed between 
palisades, and led to a sort of front court, 
with another lattice- work door, beside which 
hung a bell. Upon ringing this, a negro 
appeared. 

The black seemed to know Bob very well, 
for he nodded to him as to an old acquaint- 
ance, and said the squire wanted him, and 
had asked after him several limes. He then 
led the way to a large parlour, very hand- 
somely furnished for Texas, and in which 
we found the squire, or more properly speak- 
ing, the Alcalde, sitting smoking his cigar. 
He had just breakfasted, and the plates and 
dishes were still upon the table. He did not 
appear to be much given to compliments or 
ceremony, or to partake at all of the Yan- 
kee failing of curiosity, for he answered our 
salutation with a laconic " good-morning," 
and scarcely even looked at us. At the very 
first glance, it was easy to see that he came 
from Tennessee or Virginia, the only pro- 
vinces in which one finds men of his gigan- 
tic mould. Even sitting, his head rose above 
those of the negro servants in waiting. Nor 
was his height alone remarkable; he had 
the true West-Virginian build; the enormous 
chest and shoulders, and herculean limbs, 
the massive features and sharp gray eyes; 
altogether an exterior well calculated to im- 
pose on the rough backwoodsmen with whom 
he had to deal. 

I was tired with my ride, and took a 
chair. The squire apparently did not deem 
me worthy of notice, or else he reserved me 
for a later scrutiny; but he fixed a long, 
searching look upon Bob, who remained 
standing, with his head sunk on his breast. 

The judge at last broke silence. 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



93 



" So here you are again, Bob. It's long 
since we've seen you, and I thought you had 
clean forgotten us. Well, Bob, we shouldn't 
have broke our hearts, I reckon ; for I hate 
gamblers — ay, that I do — worse than skunks. 
It's a vile thing is play, and has ruined many 
a man in this world, and the next. It's 
ruined you too. Bob. 

Bob said nothing. 

" You'd have been mighty useful here 
last week; there was plenty for you to do. 
My step-daughter arrived ; but as you weren't 
to be found, we had to send to Joel to shoot 
us a buck and a couple of dozen snipes. Ah, 
Bob! one might still make a good citizen of 
you, if you'd only leave off that cursed 
play!" 

Bob still remained silent. 

" Now go into the kitchen and get some 
breakfast." 

Bob neither answered nor moved. 

" D'ye hear? Go into the kitchen and 
get something to eat. And, Ptoly" — added 
he to the negro — " tell Veny to give him a 
pint of rum." 

" Don't want yer rum — ain't thirsty" — 
growled Bob — 

" Very like, very like," said the judge, 
sharply. " Reckon you've taken too much 
already. Look as if you could swallow a 
wild cat, claws and all. And you," added 
he, turning to me — " What the devil are you 
at, Ptoly? Don't you see the man wants 
his breakfast? Where's the coffee? Or 
would you rather have tea?" 

" Thank you, Alcalde, I have breakfasted 
already." 

" Don't look as if. Ain't sick, are you? 
Where do you come from? What's hap- 
pened to you? What are you doing with 
Bob?" 

He looked keenly and searchingly at me, 
and then again at Bob. My appearance was 
certainly not very prepossessing, unshaven 
as I was, and with my clothes and linen 
soiled and torn. He was evidently consider- 
ing what could be the motive of our visit, 
and what had brought me into Bob's society. 
The result of his physiognomical observa- 
tions did not appear very favourable either 
to me or my companion. I hastened to ex- 
plain. 

'* You shall hear how it was, judge. I 
am indebted to Bob for my life." 

" Your life! Indebted to Bob for your 
life!" repeated the judge, shaking his head 
incredulously. 



I related how I had lost my way in the 
prairie; been carried into the Jacinto by niy 
horse; and how I inevitably should have 
been drowned but for Bob's aid. 

" Indeed !" said the judge, when I had 
done speaking. "So, Bob saved your life! 
Well, I am glad of it. Bob, very glad of 
it. Ah! if you could only keep away from 
that Johnny. I tell you. Bob, Johnny will 
be the ruin of you. Better keep out of his 
way." 

" It's too late," answered Bob. 

" Don't know why it should be. Never 
too late to leave a debauched, sinful life; 
never, man!" 

" Calkilate it is, though," replied Bob, 
sullenly. 

"You calculate it is?" said the judge, fix- 
ing his eyes on him. "And why do you 
calculate that? Take a glass — Ptoly, a 
glass — and tell me, man, why should it be 
too lale?" 

" I ain't thirsty, squire," said Bob. 

" Don't talk to me of your thirst; rum's 
not for thirst, but to strengthen the heart 
and nerves, to drive away the blue devils. 
And a good thing it is, taken in modera- 
tion." 

As he spoke he filled himself a glass, and 
drank half of it off. Bob shook his head. 

" No rum for me, squire. I take no plea- 
sure in it. I've something on my mind too 
heavy for rum to wash away." 

"And what is that. Bob? Come, let's 
hear what you have to say. Or, perhaps, 
you'd rather speak to me alone. It's Sun- 
day to-day, and no business ought to be 
done; but for once, and for you, we'll inake 
an exception." 

" I brought the gentleman with me on 
purpose to witness what I had to say," an- 
swered Bob, taking a cigar out of a box that 
stood on the table, and lighting it. Pie 
smoked a whiff or two, looked thoughtfully 
at the judge, and then threw the cigar 
through the open window, 

" It don't relish, squire ; nothin' does 
now." 

" Ah, Bob ! if you'd leave off play and 
drink ! They're your ruin ; worse than ague 
or fever." 

" It's no use," continued Bob, as if he did 
not hear the judge's remark; it must out. I 
fo't agin it, and thought to drive it away, 
but it cant be done. I've put a bit of lead 
into several before now, but this one" — 

" What's that ?" cried the judge, chucking 



94 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



his cigar away, and looking sternly at Bob. 
"What's up now? What are you saying 
about a bit of lead? None of your Sodoma 
and Lower Natchez tricks, I hope ? They 
won't do here. Don't understand such jokes." 

" Pooh ! they don't understand them a 
bit more in Natchez. If they did, I shouldn't 
be in Texas." 

" The less said of that the better. Bob. 
You promised to lead a new life here; so 
we won't rake up old stories." 

" I did, I did I" groaned Bob ; " but it's 
all no use. I shall never be better till I'm 
hung." 

1 stared at the man in astonishment. 
The judge, however, took another cigar, 
lighted it, and, after puffing out a cloud of 
smoke, said, very unconcernedly — 

*'Not better till you're hung! What do 
you want to be hung for? To be sure, you 
should have been long ago, if the Georgia 
and Alabama papers don't lie. But we are 
not in the Slates here, but in Texas, under 
Mexican laws. It's nothing to us what you've 
done yonder. Where there is no accuser 
there can be no judge." 

"Send away the nigger, squire," said 
Bob. "What a free white man has to say, 
shouldn't be heard by black ears." 

" Go away, Ploly," said the judge. " Now, 
then," added he, turning to Bob, "say what 
you have to say; but mind, nobody forces 
you to do it, and it's only out of good will 
that I listen to you, for to-day's Sunday." 

"I know that," muttered Bob; "I know- 
that, squire; but it leaves me no peace, and 
it must out. I've been to San Felipe de 
Austin, to Anahuac, every where, but it's all 
no use. Wherever I go, the spectre follows 
me, and drives me back under the cursed 
Patriarch." 

" Under the Patriarch !" exclaimed the 
judge. 

"Ay, under the Patriarch!" groaned Bob. 
"Don't you know the Patriarch; the old live 
oak near the ford, on the Jacinto?" 

"I know, I know!" answered the judge. 
"And what drives you under the Patriarch?" 

"What drives me? What drives a man 
who — who" 

" A man who" repeated the judge, 

gently. 

"A man," continued Bob, in the same 
low tone, " who has sent a rifle bullet into 
another's heart. He lies there, under the 
Patriarch, whom I" 

" Whom you?" asked the judge. 



" Whomlkilledr said Bob, in a hollow 
whisper. 

"Killed!" exclaimed the judge. "You 
killed him? AVhom?" 

"Ah! whom? W'hy don't you let me 
speak? You always interrupt me with your 
palaver," growled Bob. 

" You are getting saucy. Bob," said the 
judge impatiently. " Go on, however. I 
reckon it's only one of your usual tantrums." 

Bob shook his head. The judge looked 
keenly at him for a moment, and then re- 
sumed in a sort of confidential, encouraging 
tone. 

" Under the Patriarch ; and how did he 
come under the Patriarch?" 

"1 dragged him there, and buried him 
there," replied Bob. 

" Dragged him there! Why did you drag 
him there?" 

"Because he couldn't go himself, with 
more than half an ounce of lead in his body." 

"And you put the half ounce of lead into 
him, Bob? VVell, if it was Johnny, you've 
done the country a service, and saved it a 
rope." 

Bob shook his head negatively. 

" It wasn't Johnny, although But you 

shall hear all about it. It's just ten days 
since you paid me twenty dollars fifty." 

" I did so. Bob; twenty dollars fifty cents; 
and I advised you at the same time to let the 
money lie till you had a couple of hundred 
dollars, or enough to buy a quarter or an 
eighth of Sitio land; but advice is thrown 
away upon you." 

" When I got the money, I thought I'd go 
down to San Felipe, to the Mexicans, and 
try my luck; and, at the same time, see the 
doctor about my fever. As I was goin' 
there, I passed near Johnny's house, and 
fancied a glass, but determined not to get off 
my horse. I rode up to the window, and 
looked in. There was a man siltin' at the 
table, havin' a hearty good dinner of steaks 
and potatoes, and washin' it down with a 
stiff glass of grog. I began to feel hungry 
myself, and while I was considerin' whether 
I should 'light or not, Johnny came sneakin' 
out, and whispered to me to come in, that 
there was a man inside with whom somethin' 
might be done if we went the right way to 
work; a man who had a leather belt round 
his waist cram-full of hard Jackson; and 
that, if we got out the cards and pretended 
to play a little together, he would soon take 
the bait and join us. 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



95 



" I wasn't much inclined to do it," con- 
tinued Bob; " but Johnny bothered me so to 
go in, that I got off my horse. As 1 did so 
the dollars chinked in my pocket, and the 
sound gave me a wish to play. 

" 1 went in; and Johnny fetched the whis- 
ky bottle. One glass followed another. 
There were beefsteaks and potatoes too, but 
I only eat a couple of mouthfuls. When I 
had drank two, three, ay, four glasses, 
Johnny brought the cards and dice. ' Hallo, 
Johnny!' says I; 'cards and dice, Johnny ! 
I've twenty dollars fifty in my pocket. Lei's 
have a game! But no more drink for me; 
for I know you, Johnny, I know you' 



" Johnny larfed slyly, and rattled the 
dice, and we sat down to play. I hadn't 
meant to drink any more, but play makes 
me thirsty; and with every glass 1 got more 
eager, and my dollars got fewer. I reckon- 
ed, however, that the stranger would join us, 
and that I should be able to win back from 
him; but not a bit of it: he sat quite quiet, 
and eat and drank as if he didn't see we were 
there. I went on playin' madder than ever, 
and before half an hour was over, I was 
cleaned out; my twenty dollars fifty gone to 
the devil, or what's the same thing, into 
Johnny's pocket. 

" When I found myself without a cent, I 
was mad, I reckon. It warn't the first time, 
nor the hundredth, that I had lost money. 
Many bigger sums than that — ay, hundreds 
and thousands of dollars had I played away — 
but they had none of them cost me the hun- 
dredth or thousandth part of the trouble to 
get that these twenty dollars fifty had; two 
full months had I been slavin' away in the 
woods and prairies to airn them, and I caught 
the fever there. The fever I had still, but 
no money to cure it with. Johnny only larfed 
in my face, and rattled my dollars. I made 
a hit at him, which, if he hadn't jumped on 
one side, would have cured him of larfin' for 
a week or two. 

" Presently, however, he came sneakin' 
up to me, and winkin' and whisperin'; and, 
' Bob!' says he, ' is it come to that with you? 
are you grown so chicken-hearted that you 
don't see the beltful of money round his* 
body?' said he, lookin' at it. 'No end of 
hard coin, I guess; and all to be had for little 
more than half an ounce of lead.' " 

"Did he say that?" asked the judge. 

" Ay, that he did, but I wouldn't listen 
to him. I was mad with him for winning 
my twenty dollars; and I told him that, if he 



wanted the stranger's purse, he might take it 

himself, and bo d d; that I wasn't goin' 

to pull the hot chestnuts out of the fire for 
him. And I got on my horse, and rode 
away like mad. 

"My head spun round like a mill. I 
couldn't get over my loss. I took the twenty 
dollars fifiy more to heart than any money I 
had ever gambled. I didn't know where to 
go. I didn't dare to go back to you, for I 
knew you'd scold me." 

"I shouldn't have scolded you. Bob; or, 
if I had, it would only have been for your 
good. I should have summoned Johnny be- 
fore me, called together a jury of twelve of 
the neighbours, got you back your twenty 
dollars fifty, and sent Johnny out of the 
country; or, better still, out of the world." 

These words were spoken with much 
phlegm, but yet with a degree of feeling 
and sympathy, which greatly improved my 
opinion of the worthy judge. Bob also seemed 
touched. Me drew a deep sigh, and gazed at 
the Alcalde with a melancholy look. 

"It's too late," muttered he; "too late, 
squire." 

" Perhaps not," replied the judge, " but 
let's hear the rest." 

" Well," continued Bob, " I kept riding 
on at random, and when evenin' came I 
found myself near the palmetta field on the 
bank of the Jacinto. As I was ridin' past it, 
I heard all at once the tramp of a horse. At 
that moment the queerest feelin' I ever had 
came over me; a sort of cold shiverin' feel. 
I forgot where I was ; sight and hearin' left 
me; I could only see two things, my twenty 
dollars fifty, and the well-filled belt of the 
stranger I had left at Johnny's. Just then a 
voice called to me. 

" ' Whence come, countryman, and whi- 
ther going?" it said. 

" ' Whence and whither,' answered I, as 
surly as could be; " to the devil at a gallop, 
and you'd better ride on and tell him I'm 
comin'.' 

" ' You can do the errand yourself,' an- 
swered the stranger larfin' ; * my road don't 
lie that way.' 

" As he spoke, I looked round, and saw, 
what I was pretty sure of before, that it was 
the man with the belt full of money. 

" ' Ain't you the stranger I see'd in the 
inn yonder?' asked he. 

" ' And if I am,' says I; ' what's that to 



you 



" ' Nothin',' said he ; ' nothin', certainly.' 



96 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



" ' Belter ride on,' says I ; * and leave me 
quiet.' 

" ' Will so, stranger ; but you needn't take 
it so mighty unkind, A word ain't a toma- 
hawk, 1 reckon,' said he. ' But I rayiher 
expect your losin's at play ain't put you in a 
very church-goin' humour ; and, if 1 was 
you, I'd keep my dollars in my pocket, and 
not set them on cards and dice.' 

" This put me in a rile to hear him cast 
my losin's in my teeth that way. 

" ' You're a nice feller,' said I, ' to throw 
a man's losses in his face. A pitiful chap 
you are,' says I. 

" I thought to provoke him, and that he'd 
tackle me. But he seemed to have no fancy 
for a fight, for he said quite humble like — 

" ' I throw nothin' in your face ; God for- 
bid that I should reproach you with your 
losses ! I'm sorry for you, on the contrary. 
Don't look like a man who can afford to lose 
his dollars. Seem to me one who aims his 
money by hard work.' 

" VVe were just then halted at the further 
end of the cane brake, close to the trees that 
border the Jacinto. I had turned my horse, 
and was frontin' the stranger. And all the 
time the devil was busy whisperin' to me, 
and poinlin' to the belt round the man's waist. 
1 could see where it was, plain enough, though 
he had buttoned his coat over it. 

" 'Hard work, indeed,' says I; 'and now 
I've lost every thing ; not a cent left for a 
quid of baccy.' 

" ' If that's all,' says he ; ' there's a help 
for that. I don't chew myself, and I ain't a 
rich man ; I've wife and children, and want 
every cent I've got, but it's one's duty to help 
a countryman. You shall have money for 
tobacco and a dram.' 

" And so sayin', he took a purse out of 
his pocket, in which he carried his change. 
It was pretty full ; there may have been some 
twenty dollars in it; and as he drew the 
string, it was as if the devil laughed and 
nodded to me out of the openin' of the purse. 
" ' Halves !' cried I. 

" ' No, not that,' says he ; ' I've wife and 
child, and what I have belongs to them ; but 

half a dollar' 

" ' Halves !' cried I again ; ' or else' 

" ' Or else?' repeated he ; and, as he spoke, 
he put the purse back into his pocket, and 
laid hold of the rifle which was slung on his 
shoulder. 

" ' Don't force one to do you a mischief,' 
said he. ' Don't,' says he ; ' we might both 



be sorry for it. What you're thinking of 
brings no blessin'.' 

" 1 was pasi seein' or hearin'. A thousand 
devils from hell were possessin' me. 

" ' Halves !' I yelled out; and, as I said 
the word, he sprang out of the saddle, and 
fell back over his horse's crupper to the 
ground. 

" ' I'm a dead man !' cried he ; as well as 
the rattle in his throat would let him. ' God 
be merciful to me ! My poor wife, my poor 
children!'" 

Bob paused ; he gasped for breath, and the 
sweat stood in large drops upon his forehead. 
He gazed wildly round the room. The judge 
himself looked very pale. I tried to rise but 
sank back in my chair. Without the table 
I believe I should have fallen to the ground. 

There was a gloomy pause of some mo- 
ment's duration. At last the judge broke 
silence. 

"A hard, hard case!" said he. "Fa- 
ther, mother, children, all at one blow. Bob, 
you are a bad fellow , a very bad fellow ; a 
great villain !" 

" A great villain," groaned Bob. " The 
ball was gone right through his breast." 

" Perhaps your gun went oti' by accident," 
said the judge anxiously. "Perhaps it was 
his own ball." 

" I see him now, judge, as plain as can be, 
when he said, ' Don't force me to do you a 
mischief. We might both be sorry for it.' 
But I pulled the trigger. His bullet is still 
in his rifle. 

"When I saw him lie dead before me, I 
can't tell you M-hat 1 felt. It warn't the first 
I had sent to his account; but yet I would 
have given all the purses and money in the 
world to have had him alive again. I must 
have dragged him under the Patriarch and 
dug a grave with my huntin' knife ; for I 
found him there afterwards." 

"You found him there 1" repeated the 
judge. 

" Yes. I don't know how he came there. 
I must have brought him, but I recollect no- 
thin' about it." 

The judge had risen from his chair, and 
was walking up and down the room, appa- 
rently in deep thought. Suddenly he stop- 
ped short. 

"What have you done with his money?" 

" I took his purse, but buried his belt with 
him, as well as a flask of rum, and some 
bread and beef he had brought away from 
Johnny's. I set out for San Felipe, and rode 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



97 



the whole day. In the evenin', when I 
looked about me, expeclin' to see the town, 
where do you think I was?'' 

The judge and I stared at him. 

" Under the Patriarch. The ghost of the 
murdered man had driven me there. 1 had 
no peace till I'd dug him up and buried him 
again. Next day 1 set ofi'in another direc- 
tion. I was out of tobacco, and I started 
across the prairie to Anahuac. Lord, what 
a day I passed ! Wherever I went, he stood 
before me. If I turned, he turned too. Some- 
times he came behind me, and looked over 
my shoulder. I spurred my mustang till the 
blood came, hopin' to get away from him, 
but it was all no use. I thought when I got to 
Anahuac I should be quit of him, and I gal- 
loped on as if for life or death. But in the 
evenin', instead of bein' close to the salt-works 
as I expected, there I was agin, under the 
Patriarch. I dug him up a second time, and 
sat and stared at him, and then buried him 
agin." 

" Queer that," observed the judge. 

" Ay, very queer !" said Bob, mournfully, 
"But it's all no use. Nothin' does me any 
good. I sha'n't be better — I shall never have 
peace till I'm hung." 

Bob evidently felt relieved now ; he had 
in a manner passed sentence on himself 
Strange as it may appear, I had a similar 
feeling, and could not help nodding my head 
approvingly. The judge alone preserved an 
unmoved countenance. 

" Indeed !" said he, " indeed ! You think 
you'll be no better till you're hung." 
. " Yes," answered Bob, with eager haste, 
hung on the same tree under which he lies 
buried." 

Well, if you will have it so, we'll see what 
can be done lor you. We'll call a jury of 
the neighbours together to-morrow." 

" Thank ye, squire," murmured Bob, visi- 
bly comforted by this promise. 

" We'll summon a jury," repeated the 
Alcalde, " and see what can be done for you. 
You'll perhaps have changed your mind by 
that time." 

I stared at him like one fallen from the 
clouds, but he did not seem to notice my sur- 
prise. 

" There is, perhaps, another way to get 
rid of your life if you are tired of it," he con- 
tinued. " We might, perhaps, hit upon one 
that would satisfy your conscience." 

Bob shook his head. 1 involuntarily made 
the same movement. 

Volume V. — 9 



" At any rate, we'll hear what the neigh- 
bours say," added the judge. 

Bob stepped up to the judge, and held out 
his hand to bid him farewell. The other did 
not take it, and turning to me, said — " You 
had bette- stop here, I think." 

Bob turned round impetuously. 

" The gentleman must come with me.'' 

" Why must he?'' said the judge. 

" Ask himself." 

I again explained the obligations I was 
under to Bob; how we had fallen in with 
one another; and what care and attention he 
had shown me at Johnny's. 

The judge nodded approvingly. " Never- 
theless," said he, " you will remain here, and 
Bob will go alone. You are in a state of 
mind. Bob, in which a man is better alone, 
d'ye see ; and so leave the young man here. 
Another misfortune might happen ; and, at 
any rate, he's better here than at Johnny's. 
Come back to-morrow, and we'll see what 
can be done for you." 

These words were spoken in a decided 
manner, which seemed to have its effect upon 
Bob. He nodded assentingly, and left the 
room. I remained staring at the judge, and 
lost in wonder at these strange proceedings. 

When Bob was gone, the Alcalde gave a 
blast on a shell, which supplied the place of 
a bell. Then seizing the cigar box, he tried 
one cigar after another, broke them peevishly 
up, and threw the pieces out of the window. 
The negro whom the shell had summoned, 
stood for some time waiting, while his master 
broke up the cigars, and threw them away. 
At last the judge's patience seemed quite to 
leave him. 

" Hark ye, Ptoly!" growled he to the 
frightened black, " the next time you bring 
me cigars that neither draw nor smoke, I'll 
make your back smoke for it. Mind that, 
now ; — there's not a single one of them worth 
a rotten maize stalk. Tell that old coffee- 
coloured hag of Johnny's, that I'll have no 
more of her cigars. Ride over to Mr. Du- 
cie's and fetch a box. And, d'ye hear? tell 
him I want to speak a word with him and 
the neighbours. Ask him to bring the neigh- 
bours with him to-morrow morning. And 
mind you're home again by two o'clock. 
Take the mustang we caught last week; I 
want to see how he goes." 

The negro listened to these various com- 
mands with open mouth and staring eyes, 
then giving a perplexed look at his master, 
shot out of the room." 



98 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



"Where away, Ptoly?" shouted the Al- 
calde after him. 

" To Massa Ducie." 

"Without a pass, Ptoly? And what are 
you going to say to Mr. Ducie 1" 

" Him nebber send bad cigar again, him 
coffee-cullud hag. Massa speak to Johnny 
and neighbours. Johnny bring neighbours 
here." 

" I thought as much," said the judge with 
perfect equanimity. " Wait a minute, I'll 
write the pass, and a couple of lines for Mr. 
Ducie." 

This was soon done, and the negro des- 
patched on his errand. The judge waited 
till he heard the sound of his horse's feet 
galloping away, and then, laying hold of the 
box of despised cigars, lit the first which 
came to hand. It smoked capitally, as did 
also one that I took. They were Principes, 
and as good as T ever tasted. 

I passed llie whole of that day tete-a-tete 
with the judge, who, I soon found, knew 
various friends of mine in the States. I told 
him the circumstances under which I had 
come to Texas, and the intention I had of 
settling there, should I find the country to 
my liking. During our long conversation, 
I was able to form a very different, and much 
more favourable estimate of his character, 
than I had done fi'om his interview with Bob. 
He was the very man to be useful to a new 
country; of great energy, sound judgment, 
enlarged and liberal views. He gave me 
some curious information as to the state of 
things in Texas; and did not think it neces- 
sary to conceal from me, as an American, 
and one who intended settling in the country, 
that there was a plan in agitation for throw- 
ing off the Mexican yoke, and declaring 
Texas an independent republic. 

Although the project was as yet not quite 
ripe for execution, it was discussed freely 
and openly by the American settlers. " It 
is the interest of every man to keep it secret," 
said the judge; " and there can be nothing 
to induce even the worst amongst us to be- 
tray a cause, by the success of which he is 
sure to profit. We have many bad charac- 
ters in Texas, the offscourings of the United 
States, men like Bob, or far worse than him ; 
but debauched, gambling, drunken villains 
though they be, they are the men we want 
when it comes to a struggle; and when that 
time arrives, they will all be found ready to 
put their shoulders to the wheel, use knife 
and rifle, and shed the last drop of their 



blood in defence of their fellow-citizens and 
of the new and independent republic of Texas. 
At this moment, we must wink at many 
things which would be severely punished in 
an older and more settled country; each 
man's arm is of immense value to the State; 
for, on the day of battle, we shall have, not 
two to one, but twenty to one opposed to us." 

I was awakened the following morning by 
the sound of a horse's feet; and, looking out 
of the window, saw Bob dismounting from 
his mustang. The last twenty-four hours 
had told fearfully upon him. His limbs 
seemed powerless, and he reeled and stag- 
gered in such a manner, that I at first thought 
him intoxicated. But such was not the case. 
His was the deadly weariness caused by 
mental anguish. He looked like one just 
taken off the rack. 

Hastily pulling on my clothes, I hurried 
down stairs, and opened the house door. Bob 
stood with his head resting on his horse's 
neck, and his hands crossed, shivering and 
groaning. When I spoke to him, he looked 
up, but did not seem to know me. I tied his 
horse to a post, and taking his hand, led him 
into the house. He followed like a child, 
apparently without the will or the power to 
resist ; and when I placed him a chair, he 
fell into it whh a weight that made it crack 
under him, and shook the house. I could 
not get him to speak, and was about to return 
to my room to complete my toilet, when I 
again heard the tramp of mustangs. This 
was a party of half a dozen horsemen, all 
dressed in hunting shirts over buckskin 
breeches and jackets, and armed with rifles 
and bowie-knives; stout, daring looking fel- 
lows, evidently from the south-western states, 
with the true Kentucky half horse half alli- 
gator profile, and the usual allowance of 
thunder, lightning, and earthquake. It struck 
me when I saw them, that two or three thou- 
sand such men would have small difficulty 
in dealing with a whole army of Mexicans, 
if the latter were all of the pigmy, spindle- 
shanked breed I had seen on first landing. 
These giants could easily have walked away 
with a Mexican in each hand. 

They jumped off their horses, and threw 
the bridles to the negroes in the usual Ken- 
tuckian devil-may-care style, and then walk- 
ed into the house with the air of people who 
make themselves at home every where. On 
entering the parlour, they nodded a " good- 
morning" to me, rather coldly to be sure, for 
they had seen me talking with Bob, which 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



99 



probably did not much recommend me. Pre- 
sently, lour more horsemen rode up, and then 
a third party, so that there were now four- 
teen of them assembled, all decided-looking 
men, in the prime of life and strength. The 
judge, who slept in an adjoining room, had 
been awakened by the noise. I heard him 
jump out of bed, and not three minutes 
elapsed before he entered the parlour. 

After he had shaken hands with all his 
visitors, he presented me to them, and I 
found that I was in the presence of no less 
important persons than the Ayuntamiento of 
San Felipe de Austin; and that two of my 
worthy countrymen were corre^idors, one a 
procurador, and the others buenos hombres, 
or freeholders. They did not seem, how- 
ever, to prize their titles much, for they ad- 
dressed one another by their surnames only. 

The negro brought a light, opened the 
cigar box, and arranged the chairs; the judge 
pointed to the sideboard, and to the cigars, 
and then sat down. Some took a dram, 
others lit a cigar. 

Several minutes elapsed, during which the 
men sat in perfect silence, as if they were 
collecting their thoughts, or, as though it 
were undignified to show any haste or impa- 
tience to speak. This grave sort of delib- 
eration, which is met with among certain 
classes, and in certain provinces of the Union, 
has often struck me as a curious feature of 
our national character. It partakes of the 
stoical dignity of the Indian at his council 
fire, and of the stern, religious gravity of the 
early puritan settlers in America. 

During this pause Bob was writhing on 
his chair like a worm, his face concealed by 
his hands, his elbows on his knees. At last, 
when all had drank and smoked, the judge 
laid down his cigar. 

"Men!" said he. 

"Squire!" answered they. 

" We've a business before us, which I cal- 
culate will be best explained by him whom 
it concerns." 

The men looked at the squire, then at Bob, 
then at mc. 

" Bob Rock! or whatever your name may 
be, if you have aught to say, say it !" con- 
tinued the judge, 

" Said it all yesterday," muttered Bob, his 
face still covered by his hands. 

" Yes, but you must say it again to-day. 
Yesterday was Sunday, and Sunday is a day 
of rest, and not of business, I will neither 
judge you, nor allow you to be judged, by 



what you said yesterday. Besides, it was 
all between ourselves, for I don't reckon Mr. 
Rivers as any thing; I count him still as a 
stranger." 

" What's the use of so much palaver, 
when the thing's plain enough?" said Bob 
peevishly, raising his head as he spoke. 

The men stared at him in grave astonish- 
ment. He was really frightful to behold ; 
his face of a sort of blue tint ; his cheeks 
hollow; his beard wild and ragged; his 
blood-shot eyes rolling, and deep sunk in 
their sockets. His appearance was scarcely 
human, 

" I tell you again," said the judge, " I 
will condemn no man upon his own word 
alone ; much less you, who have been in my 
service, and eaten of my bread. You ac- 
cused yourself yesterday, but you were de- 
lirious at the time — you had the fever upon 
you." 

" It's no use, squire," said Bob, apparently 
touched by the kindness, of the judge. " You 
mean well, I see ; but though you might de- 
liver me out of men's hands, you couldn't 
rescue me from myself. Its no use — I must 
be hung — hung on the same tree under 
which the man I killed lies buried." 

The men, or the jurors, as I may call 
them looked at one another, but said no- 
thing. 

" It's no use," again cried Bob, in a shrill 
agonized tone. " If he had attacked me, or 
only threatened me; but no, he didn't do it. 
I hear his words still, when he said, ' Do it 
not man! I've wife and child. What you 
intend, brings no blessin'on the doer.' But 
I heard nolhin' then except the voice of the 
devil ; I brought the rifle down — levelled — 
fired." 

The man's agony was so intense, that 
even the iron-featured jury seemed moved 
by it. They cast sharp, but stolen glances 
at Bob. There was a short silence. 

" So you have killed a man 1" said a deep 
bass voice at last. 

" Ay, that have I !" gasped Bob. 

"And how came that?" continued his 
questioner, 

" How it came? You must ask the devil, 
or Johnny. No, not Johnny, he can tell you 
nothing ; he was not there. No one can 
tell you but me; and I hardly know how it 
was. The man was at Johnny's, and Johnny 
showed me his belt full of money." 

" Johnny !" exclaimed several of the jury. 

" Ay Johnny ! He reckoned on winning 



100 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



it from him, but the man was too cautious 
for that J and when Johnny had plucked 
all my feathers, won my twenty dollars 
fifty" 

" Twenty dollars fifty cents," interposed 
the judge, " which I paid him for catching 
mustangs and shooting game." 

The men nodded. 

" And then because he wouldn't play, you 
shot him ?" asked the same deep toned voice 
as before. 

" No — some hours after — by the Jacinto, 
near the Patriarch — met him down there, and 
killed him." 

" Thought there was something out o' the 
common thereaway," said one of the jury; 
" for as we rode by the tree a whole nation 
of kites and turkey buzzards flew out. Didn't 
they, Mr. Heart." 

Mr. Heart nodded. 

" Met him by the river, and cried, halves 
of his money," continued Bob mechanically. 
" He said he'd give me something to buy a 
quid, and more than enough for that, but not 
halves. ' I've wife and child,' said he" 

" And you ?" asked the juror with the 
deep voice, which this time, however, had a 
hollow sound in it. 

" Shot him down," said Bob with a wild 
hoarse laugh. 

For some time no word was spoken. 

"And who was the man?" said a juror 
at last. 

" Didn't ask him ; and it warn't written 
on his face. He was from the States ; but 
whether a hosier, or a buckeye, or a mud- 
head, is more than I can say." 

" The thing must be investigated, Al- 
calde," said another of the jury after a se- 
cond pause. 

" It must so," answered the Alcalde. 

" What's the good of so much investiga- 
tion ?" grumbled Bob. 

" What good ?" repeated the Alcalde. 
" Because we owe it to ourselves, to the 
dead man, and to you, not to sentence you 
without having held an inquest on the body. 
There's another thing which I must call 
your attention to," continued he, turning to 
the jury ; " the man is half out of his mind 
— not compos mentis, as they say. He's got 
the fever, and had it when he did the deed ; 
he was urged on by Johnny, and maddened 
by his losses at play. In spite of his wild 
excitement, however, he saved that gentle- 
man's life yonder, Mr. Edward Nathaniel 
Rivers." 



" Did he so ?" said one of the jury. 

" That did he," replied I, " not only by 
saving me from drowning when my horse 
dragged me, half dead and helpless, into the 
river, but also by the care and attention he 
forced Johnny and his mulatto to bestow upon 
me. Without him I should not be alive at 
this moment." 

Bob gave me a look which went to my 
heart. The tears were standing in his eyes. 
The jury heard me in deep silence. 

" It seems that Johnny led you on and ex- 
cited you to this?" said one of the jurors. 

" I didn't say that. I only said that he 
pointed to the man's money bag, and said 

But what is it to you what Johnny said ? 

I'm the man who did it. I speak for my- 
self, and I'll be hanged for myself." 

" All very good. Bob," interposed the 
Alcalde; but we can't hang you without 
being sure you deserve it. What do you 
say to it, Mr. Whyte? You're the procura- 
dor — and you, Mr. Heart and Mr. Stone? 
Help yourselves to rum or brandy ; and 
Mr. Bright and Irwin, take another cigar. 
They're considerable tolerable the cigars — 
aint they? That's brandy, Mr. Whyte, in 
the diamond bottle." 

Mr. Whyte had got up to give his opinion, 
as I thought ; but I was mistaken. He 
stepped to the sideboard, took up a bottle in 
one hand and a glass in the other, every 
movement being performed with the greatest 
deliberation. 

" Well, squire," said he, " or rather 
Alcalde'' 

After the word Alcalde, he filled the 
glass half full of rum. 

"If it's as we've heard," added he, pour- 
ing about a spoonful of water on the rum, 
" and Bob has killed the man" — he continued, 
throwing in some lumps of sugar — " mur- 
dered him" — he went on crushing the sugar 
with a wooden stamp — " I rather calkilate" 
— here he raised the glass — " Bob ought to 
be hung," he concluded, putting the tumbler 
to his mouth and emptying it. 

The jurors nodded in silence. Bob drew 
a deep breath, as if a load were taken off 
his breast. 

" Well," said the judge, who did not look 
over well pleased ; if you all think so, and 
Bob is agreed, I calculate we must do as he 
wishes. I tell you, though, I don't do it 
willingly. At any rate we must find the 
dead man first, and examine Johnny. We 
owe that to ourselves and to Bob." 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



101 



" Certainly," said ihe jury with one 
voice. 

"You are a dreadful murderer, Bob, a 
mighty considerable one," continued the 
judge ; " but I tell you to your face, and 
not to flatter you, there is more good in your 
little linger than in Johnny's whole hide. 
And I'm sorry for you, because, at the bot- 
tom, you are not a bad man, though you've 
been led away by bad company and ex- 
ample. I calculate you might still be re- 
formed, and made very useful — more so, 
perhaps, than you think. Your rifle's a 
capital good one." 

At these last words the men all looked up, 
and threw a keen inquiring glance at Bob. 

" You might be of great service," con- 
tinued the judge encouragingly, " to the 
country and to your fellow citizens. You're 
worth a dozen Mexicans any day." 

While the judge was speaking, Bob let 
his head fall on his breast, and seemed re- 
flecting. He now looked up. 

"I understand, squire; I see what your 
drivin' at. But I can't do it — I can't wait so 
long. My life's a burden and a sufterin' to 
me. Wherever I go, by day or by night, 
he's always there, standin' before me, and 
drivin' me under the Patriarch." 

There was a pause of some duration. 
The judge resumed. 

" So be it, then," said he with a sort of 
suppressed sigh. " We'll see the body to- 
day, Bob, and you may come to-morrow at 
ten o'clock." 

" Couldn't it be sooner ?" asked Bob im- 
patiently. 

"Why sooner? Are you in such a 
hurry ?" asked Mr. Heart, 

" What's the use of palaverin?" said 
Bob sulkily. "I told you already I'm sick 
of my life. If you don't come till ten 
o'clock, by the time you've had your talk 
out and ridden to the Patriarch, the fever 'II 
be upon me." 

" But we can't be flying about like a 
parcel of wild geese, because of your fever," 
said the procurador. 

" Certainly not," said Bob humbly. 

"It's an ugly customer the fever, though, 
Mr. Whyte," observed Mr. Trace ; "and I 
calculate we ought to do him that pleasure. 
What do you think, squire?" 

" I reckon he's rather indiscreet in his 
askin's," said the judge, in a tone of vexa- 
tion. "However, as he wishes it, and if it 
is agreeable to -you," added he, turning to 
9* 



the Ayuntamiento ; " and as it's you. Bob, 
1 calculate we must do what you ask." 

"Thankee," said Bob. 

" Nothing to thank for," growled the judge. 
" And now go into the kitchen and get a 
good meal of roast beef, d'ye hear?" He 
knocked upon the table. " Some good roast 
beef for Bob," said he to a negress who 
entered ; " and see that he eats it. And get 
yourself dressed more decently. Bob — like a 
white man and a Christian, not like a wild 
redskin." 

The negress and Bob left the room. The 
conversation now turned upon Johnny, who 
appeared, from all accounts, to be a very bad 
and dangerous lellow ; and after a short dis- 
cussion, they agreed to lynch him, in back- 
woodsman's phrase, just as coolly as if they 
had been talking of catching a mustang. 
When the men had come to this satisfactory 
conclusion, they got up, drank the judge's 
health and mine, shook us by the hand, and 
left the room and the house. 

The day passed more heavily than the 
preceding one. I was too much engrossed 
with the strange scene I had witnessed to 
talk much. The judge, too, was in a very 
bad humour. He was vexed that a man 
should be hung who might render the coun- 
try much and good service if he remained 
alive. That Johnny, the miserable, cowardly, 
treacherous Johnny, should be sent out ot 
the world as quickly as possible, was per- 
fectly correct, but with Bob it was very dif- 
ferent. In vain did I remind him of the 
crime of which Bob had been guilty — of the 
outraged laws of God and man — and of the 
atonement due. It was no use. If Bob had 
sinned against society, he could repair his 
fault much better by remaining alive than by 
being hung ; and for any thing else, God 
would avenge it in his own good time. We 
parted for the night, neither of us convinced 
by the other's arguments. 

We were setting at breakfast the next 
morning, when a man, dressed in black, rode 
up to the door. It was Bob, but so meta- 
morphosed that I scarecely knew him. In- 
stead of the torn and bloodstained handker- 
chief round his head, he wore a hat; instead 
of the leathern jacket, a decent cloth coat. 
He had shaved off his beard, too, and looked 
quite another man. His manner had altered 
with his dress ; he seemed tranquil and re- 
signed. With a mild and submissive look, 
he held out his hand to the judge, who took 
and shook it heartily. 



102 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



"Ah, Bob!" said he, " if you had only 
listened to what 1 had so often told you ! I had 
those clothes brought on purpose fronn New 
Orleans, in order that, on Sundays at least, 
you might look like a decent and respect- 
able man. How often have I asked you to 
put them on, and come with us to meeting, 
to hear Mr. Bliss preach 1 There is some 
truth in the saying, that the coat makes the 
man. With his Sunday coat, a man often 
puts on other and better thoughts. If that 
had been your case only fifty-two times in 
the year, you'd have learned to avoid Johnny 
before now." 

Bob said nothing. 

" Well, well ! I've done all I could to make 
a better man of you. All that was in my 
power." 

" That you have," answered Bob, much 
moved. " God reward you for it !" 

I could not help holding out my hand to 
the worthy judge ; and as I did so I thought 
I saw a moistness in his eye, which he sup- 
pressed, however, and, turning to the break- 
fast table, bade us sit down. Bob thanked 
him humbly, but declined, saying that he 
wished to appear fasting before his offended 
Creator. The judge insisted, and reasoned 
with him, and at last he took a chair. 

Before we had done breakfast our friends 
of the preceding day began to drop in, and 
some of them joined us at the meal. When 
they had all taken what they chose, the judge 
ordered the negroes to clear away, and leave 
the room. This done, he seated himself at 
the upper end of the table, with the Ayun- 
tamiento on either side, and Bob facing 
him. 

" Mr. Whyte," said the Alcalde, " have 
you, as procurador, any thing to state?" 

" Yes, Alcalde," replied the procurador. 
" In virtue of my office, I made a search in 
the place mentioned by Bob Rock, and there 
found the body of a man who had met his 
death by a gunshot wound. I also found a 
belt full of money, and several letters of re- 
commendation to different planters, from 
which it appears that the man was on his 
way from Illinois to San Felipe, in order to 
buy land of Colonel Austin, and to settle in 
Texas." 

The procurador then produced a pair of 
saddle-bags, out of which he took a leathern 
belt stuffed with money, which he laid on the 
table, together with the letters. The judge 
opened the belt, and counted the money. It 
amounted to upwards of five hundred dollars, 



in gold and silver. The procurador then 
read the letters. 

Oneof thecorregidors now announced that 
Johnny and his mulatto had left their house 
and fled. He, the corregidor, had sent peo- 
ple in pursuit of them ; but as yet there were 
no tidings of their capture. This piece of 
intelligence seemed to vex the judge greatly, 
but he made no remark on it at the time. 

" Bob Rock !" 

Bob stepped forward. 

"Bob Rock, or by whatever other name 
you may be known, are you guilty or not 
guilty of this man's death'!" 

" Guilty!" replied Bob, in a low tone. 

" Gentlemen of the jury, will you be pleas- 
ed to give your verdict?" 

The jury left the room. In ten minutes 
they returned. 

" Guilty !" said the foreman. 

" Bob Rock," said the judge solemnly, 
" your fellow-citizens have found you guilty; 
and I pronounce the sentence — that you be 
hung by the neck until you are dead. The 
Lord be merciful to your soul !" 

" Amen !" said all present. 

" Thank ye," murmured Bob. 

" We will seal up the property of the de- 
ceased," said the judge, " and then proceed 
to our painful duty." 

He called for a light, and he and the pro- 
curador and corregidors sealed up the papers 
and money. 

" Has any one aught to allege why the 
sentence should not be put in execution?" 
said the Alcalde, with a glance at me. 

" He saved my life, judge and fellow- 
citizens," cried I, deeply moved. 

Bob shook his head mournfully. 

" Let us go, then, in God's name," said 
the judge. 

Without another word being spoken, we 
left the house and mounted our horses. The 
judge had brought a Bible with him; and he 
rode on, a little in front, with Bob, doing his 
best to prepare him for the eternity to which 
he was hastening. Bob listened attentively 
for some time ; but at last he seemed to get 
impatient, and pushed his mustang into so fast 
a trot, that for a moment we suspected him 
of wishing to escape the doom he had so 
eagerly sought. But it was only that he 
feared the fever might return before the ex- 
piration of the short time he had to live. 

After an hour's ride, we came to the en- 
ormous live oak distinguished as the Pa- 
triarch. Two or three of the'men dismounted 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 



103 



and held aside the moss-covered branches 
which swept the ground, and formed a com- 
plete curtain round the tree. The party rode 
through the opening thus made, and drew up 
in a circle beneath the huge leafy dome. In 
the centre of this ring stood Bob, trembling 
like an aspen-leaf, and with his eyes fixed 
on a small mound of fresh earth, partly con- 
cealed by the branches, and which had es- 
caped my notice on my former visit to the 
tree. It was the grave of the murdered man, 

A magnificent burial place was that: no 
poet could have dreamt or desired a better. 
Above, the huge vault, with its natural fret- 
tings and arches; below, the greenest, freshest 
grass; around, an eternal half light, streaked 
and varied, and radiant as a rainbow. It 
was imposingly beautiful. 

Bob, the judge, and the corregidors, re- 
mained sitting on their horses, but several of 
the other men dismounted. One of the latter 
cut the lasso from Bob's saddle, and threw 
an end of it over one of the lowermost 
branches ; then uniting the two ends, formed 
them into a strong noose, which he left dang- 
ling from the bough. This simple prepara- 
tion completed, the Alcalde took off his hat 
and folded his hands. The others followed 
his example. 

" Bob I" said the judge to the unfortunate 
criminal, whose head was bowed on his 
horse's mane ; " Bob ! we will pray for your 
poor soul, which is about to part from your 
sinful body." 

Bob raised his head. " I had something 
to say," exclaimed he, in a wondering and 
husky tone. " Something I wanted to say." 

" What have you to say ?" 

Bob stared around him ; his lips moved, 
but no word escaped him. His spirit was 
evidently no longer with things of this earth; 

"Bob!" said the judge again, "we will 
pray for your soul." 

" Pray ! pray !" groaned he. " I shall 
need it." 

In slow and solemn accents, and vvith 
great feeling, the judge uttered the Lord's 
Prayer. Bob repeated every word after him. 
When it was ended — 

" God he merciful to your soul!" exclaim- 
ed the judge. 

" Amen !" said all present. 

One of the corregidors now passed the 
noose of the lasso round Bob's neck, another 
bound his eyes, a third person drew his feet 
out of the stirrups, while a fourth stepped 
behind his horse with a heavy riding whip. 



All was done in the deepest silence; not a 
word was breathed; not a foot-fall heard on 
the soft-yielding turf. There was something 
awful and oppressive in the profound still- 
ness that reigned in the vast enclosure. 

The whip fell. The horse gave a spring 
forwards. At the same moment Bob made 
a desperate clutch at the bridle, and a loud 
"Hold!" burst in thrilling tones from the 
lips of the judge. 

It was too late; Bob was already hang- 
ing. The judge pushed forward, nearly 
riding down the nian who held the whip, 
and seizing Bob in his arms, raised him on 
his own horse, supporting him with one 
hand, while with the other he strove to un- 
fasten the noose. His whole gigantic frame 
trembled with eagerness and exertion. The 
procurador, corregidors, all, in short, stood 
in open-mouthed wonder at this strange pro- 
ceeding. 

"Whisky! whisky! Has nobody any 
whisky?" shouted the judge. 

One of the men sprang forward with a 
whisky-flask, another supporting the body, 
and a third the feet, of the half-hanged man, 
while the judge poured a few drops of spi- 
rits into his mouth. The cravat, which had 
not been taken off, had hindered the break- 
ing of the neck. Bob at last opened his 
eyes, and gazed vacantly around him. 

" Bob," said the judge, " you had some- 
thing to say, hadn't you, about Johnny]" 

" Johnny," gasped Bob;" "Johnny." 

" What's become of him ?" 

" He's gone to San Antonio, Johnny." 

"To San Antonio!" repeated the judge, 
with an expression of great alarm over- 
spreading his features. 

"To San Antonio — to Padre Jose," con- 
tinued Bob ; " a Catholic. Beware." 

" A traitor, then !" muttered several. 

" Catholic !" exclaimed the judge. The 
words he had heard seemed to deprive him 
of all strength. His arms fell slowly and 
gradually by his side, and Bob was again 
hanging from the lasso. 

" A Catholic! a traitor!" repeated several 
of the men; " a citizen and a traitor !" 

" So it is, men !" exclaimed the judge. 
" We've no time to lose," continued he, in a 
harsh, hurried voice; "no time to lose; we 
must catch him," 

" That must we," said several voices, 
"or our plans are betrayed to the Mexi- 
cans." 

"After him immediately to San Ante- 



104 



POEMS, BY WILLIAM THOM, 



nio !" cried the judge with the same despe- 
rately hurried manner. 

"To San Antonio!" repeated the men, 
pushing their way through the curtain of 
moss and branches. As soon as they were 
outside, those who were dismounted sprang 
into the saddle, and without another word, 
the whole party galloped away in the direc- 
tion of San Antonio. 

The judge alone remained, seemingly lost 
in thought ; his countenance pale and anx- 
ious, and his eyes following the riders. His 
reverie, however, had lasted but a very few 
seconds, when he seized my arm, 

" Hasten to my house," cried he; " lose 
no time, don't spare horse-flesh. Take Ptoly 
and a fresh beast; hurry over to San Felipe, 
and tell Stephen Austin what has happened, 
and what you have seen and heard." 

" But, judge" — 

" Off with you at once, if you would do 
Texas a service. Bring my wife and daugh- 
ter back." 

And so saying, he literally drove me from 
under the tree, pushing me out with hands 
and feet. I was so startled at the expression 
of violent impatience and anxiety which his 
features assumed, that, without venturing to 
make further objection, I struck the spurs 
into my mustang and galloped off. 

Before I had got fifty yards from the tree, 
I looked round. The judge had disappeared. 

I rode full speed to the judge's house, and 
thence on a fresh horse to San Felipe, where 
1 found Colonel Austin, who seemed much 
alarmed by the news I brought him, had 
horses saddled, and sent round to all the 
neighbours. Before the wife and step-daugh- 
ter of the judge had made their preparations 
to accompany me home, he started with fifty 
armed men in the direction of San Antonio. 

I escorted the ladies to their house, but 
scarcely had we arrived there, when I was 
seized with a fever, the result of my recent 
fatigues and sulTurings. For some days my 
life was in danger, but at last a good consti- 
tution, and the kindest and most watchful 
nursing, triumphed over the disease. As 
soon as I was able to mount a horse, I set 
out for Mr. Neal's plantation, in company 
with his huntsman Anthony, who, after 
spending many days, and riding over hun- 
dreds of miles of ground in quest of me, had 
at last found me out. 

Our way led up past the Patriarch, and, 
as we approached it, we saw innumerable 
birds of prey, and carrion crows circling 



round it, croaking and screaming. I turned 
my eyes in another direction ; but, neverthe- 
less, I felt a strange sort of longing to revisit 
the tree. Anthony had ridden on, and was 
already hidden from view behind its branches. 
Presently I heard him give a loud shout of 
exultation. I jumped off my horse, and led 
it through a small opening in the leafage. 

Some forty paces from me the body of a 
man was hanging by a lasso from the very 
same branch on which Bob had been hung. 
It was not Bob, however, for the corpse was 
much too short and small for him. 

I drew nearer. "Johnny!" I exclaimed. 
"That's Johnny!" 

" It Ji"«s," answered Anthony. " Thank 
Heaven, there's an end of him!" 

I shuddered. "But where is Bob?" 

"Bob?" cried Anthony. "Bob!" 

He glanced toward the grave. The mound 
of earth seemed to me larger and higher than 
when I had last seen it. Doubtless the mur- 
derer lay beside his victim. 

"Shall we not render the last service to 
this wretch, Anthony?" asked I. 

"The scoundrel!" answered the hunts- 
man. " I won't dirty my hands with him. 
Let him poison the kites and the crows !" 

We rode on. 



From the Westminster Review for December. 

Poems. By William Thom. Inverury, Aber- 
deenshire. (Unpublished.) 
The poems which we wish to introduce to 
our readers have appeared in the Aberdeen 
newspapers with a few exceptions. They 
have never been collected and published. 
Their author, Mr. Thom, is a weaver in 
Inverury, a small rural burgh in Aberdeen- 
shire, situated about sixteen miles from the 
capital of the county, where the Ury runs 
into the Don, near the foot of a lofty heather- 
clad mountain called Eenachie. Inverury 
is not destitute of interesting associations. 
Its Bass — a small round green island in a 
morass — is the subject of a prophesy of 
Thomas the Rhymer. Not far from Inver- 
rury is the wild and barren field of Harlow, 
where, four centuries ago, lowland valour 
proved its superiority over Celtic fire; the 
civic Baillies defeated the highland chieftains, 
and Provost Davidson, of Aberdeen, routing 
the most powerful of the Lords of the Isles. 
Benachie gave a name to one of the giants 
celebrated in old ballads, still crooned by 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS! — -THE STRUGGLE. 



167 



Mr. Hill and the Post Office, or upon liis 
abrupt dismissal from oflice, before his plan 
was half developed; we have rather preferred 
directing our readers' attention to some of 
the more glaring defects in post office ma- 
nagement, about which there can be no dis- 
pute, and for the redress of which thei'e is 
most urgent necessity. 



From Blackwood's Magazine for January. 

ADVENTURES IN TEXAS. 

No. III. 

THE STRUGGLE. 

I HAD been but three or four months in 
Te.xas, wlien, in consequence of the oppres- 
sive conduct of the Mexican military authori- 
ties, symptoms of discontent showed them- 
selves, and several skirmishes occurred 
between the American settlers and the sol- 
diery. The two small forts of Velasco and 
Nacogdoches were taken by the former, and 
their garrisons and a couple of field-officers 
made prisoners; soon after which, however, 
the quarrel was made up by the intervention 
of Colonel Austin on the part of Texas, and 
Colonel Mejia on the part of the Mexican 
authorities. 

But in the year '33 occurred Santa Anna's 
defection from the liberal party, and the im- 
prisonment of Stephen F. Austin, the Texian 
representative in the Mexican congress, by 
the vice-president, Gomez Farias. This was 
followed by Texas adopting the constitution 
of 1834, and declaring itself an independent 
state of the Mexican republic. Finally, to- 
wards the closeof 1835, Texas threw ofl'the 
Mexican yoke altogether, voted itself a free 
and sovereign republic, and prepared to de- 
fend by arms its newly asserted liberty. 

The first step to be taken was, to secure 
our communications with the United States 
by getting possession of the sea-ports. Ge- 
neral Cos had occupied Galveston harbour, 
and built and garrisoned a block-fort, nomi- 
nally for the purpose of enforcing the cus- 
toms laws, but in reality with a view to cut 
olf our communications with New Orleans 
and the States. This fort it was necessary 
to get possession of, and my friend Fanning 
and myself were appointed to that duty by 
the Alcalde, who had taken a prominent part 
in all that had occurred. 

Our whole force and equipment where- 
with to accomplish this enterprise, consisted 



in a sealed despatch, to be opened at the 
town of Columbia, and a half-breed, named 
Agosiino, who acted as our guide. On 
reaching Columbia, we called together the 
principal inhabitants of the place, and of the 
neighbouring towns of Bolivar and Marion, 
unsealed the letter in their presence, and six 
hours afterwards the forces therein specified 
were assembled, and we were on our march 
towards Galveston. The next day the fort 
was taken, and the garrison made prisoners, 
without our losing a single man. 

We sent off our guide to the government 
at San Felipe with news of our success. In 
nine days he returned, bringing us_ the 
thanks of congress, and fresh orders. We 
were to leave a garrison in the fort, and then 
ascend Trinity river, and march towards 
San Antonio de Bexar. This route was all 
the more agreeable to Fanning and myself, 
as it would bring us into the immediate vici- 
nity of the haciendas, or estates, of which 
we had some time previously obtained a 
grant from the Texian government; and we 
did not doubt that we were indebted to our 
friend the Alcalde for the orders which thus 
conciliated our private convenience with our 
public duty. 

As we marched along we found the whole 
country in commotion, the settlers all arm- 
ing, and hastening to the distant place of 
rendezvous. We arrived at Trinity river 
one afternoon, and immediately sent mes- 
sengers for forty miles in all directions to 
summon the inhabitants. At the period in 
question, the plantations in that part of the 
country were very few and far between, but 
nevertheless by the afternoon of the next 
day we had got together four-and-thirty men, 
mounted on mustangs, each equipped with 
rifle and bowie-knife, powder-horn and bul- 
let-bag, and furnished with provisions for 
several days. With these we started for 
San Antonio de Bexar, a march of two 
hundred and fifty miles, through trackless 
prairies intersected with rivers and streams, 
which, although not quite so big as the Mis- 
sissippi or Potomac, were yet deep and wide 
enough to have offered serious impediment to 
regular armies. But to Texian farmers and 
backwoodsmen, they were trifling obstacles. 
Those we could not wade through we swam 
over; and in due time, and without any inci- 
dent worthy of note, reached the appointed 
place of rendezvous, which was on the river 
Salado, about fifteen miles from San An- 
tonio, the principal city of the province. 



168 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS: THE STRUGGLE. 



This latter place it was intended to attack — 
an enterprise of some boldness and risk, con- 
sidering that the town was protected by a 
strong fort, amply provided with heavy artil- 
lery, and had a garrison of nearly three 
thousand men, commanded by officers who 
had, for the most part, distinguished them- 
selves in the revolutionary wars against the 
Spaniards. Our whole army, which we 
found encamped on the Salado, under the 
command of General Austin, did not exceed 
eight hundred men. 

The day after that on which Fanning and 
myself, with our four and thirty recruits, 
reached headquarters, a council of war was 
held, and it was resolved to advance as far 
as the mission of Santa Espada. The ad- 
vanced guard was to push forward imme- 
diately ; the main body would follow the 
next day. Fanning and myself were ap- 
pointed to the command of the vanguard, in 
conjunction with Mr, Wharton, a wealthy 
planter, who had brought a strong party of 
volunteers with him, and whose mature age 
and cool judgment, it was thought, would 
counterbalance any excess of youthful heat 
and impetuosity on our part. Selecting nine- 
ty-two men out of the eight hundred, who, to 
a man, volunteered to accompany us, we set 
out for the mission. 

These missions are a sort of picket-houses 
or outposts of the Catholic church, and are 
found in great numbers in all frontier pro- 
vinces of Spanish America, especially in 
Texas, Santa Fe, and Cohahuila. They are 
usually of sufficient strength to afford their 
inmates security against any predatory party 
of Indians or other marauders, and are oc- 
cupied by priests, who while using their en- 
deavours tospread the doctrines of the Church 
of Rome, act also as spies and agents of the 
Mexican government. 

On reaching San Espada, we held a dis- 
cussion as to the propriety of remaining there 
until the general came up, or of advancing at 
once towards the river. Wharton inclined 
to the former plan, and it was certainly the 
most prudent, for the mission was a strong 
building, surrounded by a high wall, and 
might have been held against very superior 
numbers. Fanning and I, however, did not 
like the idea of being cooped up in a house, 
and at last Wharton yielded. Wc left our 
horses and mustangs in charge of eight men, 
and with the remainder set out in the direc- 
tion of the Salado, which flows from north 
to south, a third of a mile to the westward 



of the mission. About half-way between the 
latter and ihe river, was a small group, or 
island, of muskeet trees, the only object that 
broke the uniformity of the prairie. The bank 
of the river on our side was tolerably steep, 
about eight or ten feet high, hollowed out 
here and there, and covered with a thick 
network of wild vines. The Salado at this 
spot describes a sort of bow-shaped curve, 
with a ford at either end, by which alone the 
river can be passed, for although not very 
broad, it is rapid and deep. We resolved 
to take up a position within this bow, cal- 
culating that we might manage to defend the 
two fords, which were not above a quarter 
of a mile apart. 

At the same time we did not lose sight of 
the dangers of such a position, and of the 
almost certainty that if the enemy managed 
to cross the river, we should be surrounded 
and cut off. But our success on the few oc- 
casions on which we had hitherto come to 
blows with the Mexicans, at Velasco, Nacog- 
doches, and Galveston, had inspired us with 
confidence, that we considered ourselves a 
match for thousands of such foes, and ac- 
tually began to wish the enemy would attack 
us before our main body came up. We re- 
connoitered the ground, stationed a picket of 
twelve men at each ford, and an equal num- 
ber in the island of muskeet trees ; and 
established ourselves with the remainder 
amongst the vines and in the hollows on the 
river bank. 

The commissariat department of the Texian 
army was, as may be supposed, not yet placed 
upon any very regular footing. In fact, every 
man was, for the present, his own commis- 
sary-general. Finding our stock of pro- 
visions to be very small, we sent out a party 
of foragers, who soon returned with three 
sheep, which they had taken from a rancho 
within a mile of San Antonio. An old priest, 
whom they found there, had threatened them 
with the anger of Heaven and of General Cos; 
but they paid little attention to his denun- 
ciation, and, throwing down three dollars, 
walked off with the sheep. The priest be- 
came furious, got upon his mule, and trotted 
away in the direction of the city to complain to 
General Cos of the misconduct of the heretics. 

After this we made no doubt that we 
should soon have a visit from the worthy 
Dons. Nevertheless the evening and the 
night passed away without incident. Day 
broke — still no signs of the Mexicans. This 
treacherous sort of calm, we thought, might 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS: — THE STRUGGLE 



169 



forbode a storm, and we did not allow it to 
lull us into security. We let the men gel 
their breakfast, which they had hardly finish- 
ed when the picket from the upper ford came 
in with news that a strong body of cavalry 
was approaching the river, and that their 
vanguard was already in the hollow way 
leading to the ford. We had scarcely re- 
ceived this intelligence when we heard the 
blare of the trumpets, and the next moment 
we saw the officers push their horses up the 
declivitous bank, closely followed by their 
men, whom they formed up in the prairie. 
We counted six small squadrons, about three 
hundred men in all. They were the Du- 
rango dragoons — smart troops enough to all 
appearance, capitally mounted and equipped, 
and armed with carbines and sabres. 

Although the enemy had doubtless recon- 
noitered us from the opposite shore, and as- 
certained our position, he could not form any 
accurate idea of our numbers, for with a 
view to deceive him, we kept the men in con- 
stant motion, sometimes showing a part of 
them on the prairie, then causing them to 
disappear again behind the vines and bushes. 
This was all very knowing for young sol- 
diers such as we were; but, on the other 
hand, we had committed a grievous error, 
and sinned against all established military 
rules, by not placing a picket on the further 
side of the river, to warn us of the approach 
of the enemy, and the direction in which he 
was comin<^. There can be little doubt that 
if we had had earlier notice of their approach, 
thirty or forty good marksmen — and all our 
people were that — might not only have de- 
layed the advance of the Mexicans, but per- 
haps even totally disgusted them of their at- 
tempt to cross the Salado, The hollow way 
on the other side of the river, leading to the 
ford, was narrow and tolerably steep, and 
the bank at least six times as high as on our 
side. Nothing would have been easier than 
to have stationed a party, so as to pick otY 
the cavalry as they wound through this sort 
of pass, and emerged two by two upon the 
shore. Our, error, however, did not strike 
us till it was too late to repair it; so we were 
fain to console ourselves with the reflection 
that the Mexicans would be much more likely 
to attribute our negligence to an excess of 
confidence in our resources, than to the in- 
experience in military matters, which was its 
real cause. We resolved to do our best to 
merit the good opinion which we thus sup- 
posed them to entertain of us. 
Volume V. — 15 



When the whole of the dragoons had 
crossed the water, they marched on for a 
short distance in an easterly direction; then, 
wheeling to the right, proceeded southward, 
until within some five hundred paces oi 
us, where they halted. In this position, the 
line of cavalry formed the chord of the arc 
described by the river, and occupied by us. 

As soon as they halted, they opened their 
fire, although they could not see one of us, 
for we were completely sheltered by the 
bank. Our Mexican heroes, however, ap- 
parently did not think it necessary to be 
within sight or range of their opponents be- 
fore firing, for they gave us a rattling volley 
at a distance which no carbine would carry. 
This done, others galloped on for about a 
hundred yards, halted again, loaded, fired 
another volley, and then giving another gal- 
lop, fired again. They continued this sort of 
manege till they found themselves within two 
hundredandfifty pacesofus, and then appear- 
ed inclined to take a little time for reflection. 

We kept ourselves perfectly still. The dra- 
goons evidently did not like the aspect of 
matters. Our remaining concealed, and not 
replying to their fire, seemed to bother them. 
We saw the officers taking a deal of pains 
to encourage their men, and at last two 
squadrons advanced, the others following 
more slowly, a short distance in rear. This 
was the moment we had waited for. No 
sooner had the dragoons got into a canter, 
than six of our men who had received or- 
ders to that effect, sprang up the bank, took 
steady aim at the officers, fired, and then 
jumped down again. 

As we had expected, the small numbers 
that had shown themselves, encouraged the 
Mexicans to advance. They seemed at first 
taken rather aback by the fall of four of their 
officers; but nevertheless, after a moment's 
hesitation, they came thundering along full 
speed. Thev were within sixty or seventy 
yards of us, when Fanning and thirty of our 
riflemen ascended the bank, and with a cool- 
ness and precision that would have done 
credit to the most veteran troops, poured a 
steady fire into the ranks of the dragoons. 

It requires some nerve and courage for 
men who have never gone through any regu- 
lar military training, to stand their ground 
singly and unprotected, within fifiy yards of 
an advancing line of cavalry. Our fellows 
did it, however, and fired, not all at once, or 
in a hurry, but slowly and deliberately; a 
running fire, every shot of which told. Sad- 



170 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS: THE STRUGGLE. 



die after saddle was emptied ; the men, as 
they had been ordered, always picking out 
the foremost horsemen, and as soon as they 
had fired, jumping down the bank to reload. 
When the whole of the thirty men had dis- 
charged their rifles, Wharton and myself, 
with the reserve of six and thirty more took 
their places ; but the dragoons had almost 
had enough already, and we had scarcely 
fired ten shots when they executed a right- 
about turn, with an uniformity and rapidity 
which did infinite credit to their drill, and 
went off at a pace that soon carried them out 
of the reach of our bullets. They had pro- 
bably not expected so warm a reception. We 
saw their officers doing every thing they 
could to check their flight, imploring, threat- 
ening, even cutting at them with their sabres, 
but it was no use; if they were to be killed, 
it must be in their own way, and they pre- 
ferred being cut down by their officers to 
encountering the deadly precision of rifles, 
in the hands of men who, being sure of hit- 
ting a squirrel at a hundred yards, were not 
likely to miss a Durango dragoon at any 
point within range. 

Our object in ordering the men to fire 
slowly was, always to have thirty or forty 
rifles loaded, wherewith to receive the enemy 
should he attempt a charge en masse. But 
our first greeting had been a sickener, and it 
appeared almost doubtful whether he would 
venture to attack us again, although the otfi- 
cers did every thing in their power to induce 
their men to advance. For a long time, nei- 
ther threats, entreaties, nor reproaches pro- 
duced any effect. We saw the officers gesti- 
culating furiously, pointing to us with their 
sabres, and impatiently spurring their horses, 
till the fiery animals plunged and reared, and 
sprang with all four feet from the ground. It 
is only just to say, that the officers exhibited 
a degree of courage far beyond any thing we 
had expected from them. Of the two squad- 
rons that charged us, two-thirds of the offi- 
cers had fallen; but those who remained, 
instead of appearing intimidated by their 
comrades' fate, redoubled their efforts to 
bring their men forward. 

At last there appeared some probability 
of their accomplishing this, after a most 
curious and truly Mexican fashion. Posting 
themselves in front of their squadrons, they 
rode on alone for a hundred yards or so, 
halted, looked round, as much as to say — 
" You see there is no danger as far as this," 
and then galloping back, led their men on. 



Each time that they executed this manceuvre, 
the dragoons would advance slowly some 
thirty or forty paces, and then halt as simul- 
taneously as if the word of command had 
been given. Off went the officers again, 
some distance to the front, and then back 
again to their men, and got them on a little 
further. In this manner these heroes were 
inveigled once more to within a hundred and 
fifty yards of our position. 

Of course, at each of the numerous halls 
which they made during their advance, they 
favoured us with a general, but most in- 
nocuous discharge of their carbines ; and at 
last, gaining confidence, I suppose, from our 
passiveness, and from the noise and smoke 
they themselves had been making, three 
squadrons which had not yet been under 
fire, formed open column and advanced at a 
trot. Without giving them time to halt or 
reflect — " Forward ! Charge !" shouted the 
officers, urging their own horses to their 
utmost speed ; and following the impulse 
thus given, the three squadrons came charg- 
ing furiously along. 

Up sprang thirty of our men to receive 
them. Their orders were to fire slowly, and 
not throw away a shot, but the gleaming 
sabres and rapid approach of the dragoons 
flurried some of them, and firing a hasty 
volley, they jumped down the bank again. 
This precipitation had nearly been fatal to 
us. Several of the dragoons fell, and there 
was some confusion and a momentary falter- 
ing amongst the others ; but they still came 
on. At this critical moment, Wharton and 
myself, with the reserve, showed ourselves 
on the bank. "Slow and sure — mark your 
men !" shouted we both. Wharton on the 
right and I on the left. The command was 
obeyed: rifle after rifle cracked off, always 
aimed at the foremost of the dragoons, and 
at every report a saddle was emptied. Be- 
fore we had all fired, Fanning and a dozen 
of his sharpest men had again loaded, and 
were by our side. For nearly a minute the 
Mexicans remained, as if stupefied by our 
murderous fire, and uncertain whether to 
advance or retire; but as those who attempt- 
ed the former, were invariably shot down, 
they at last began a retreat, which was soon 
converted into a rout. We gave them a fare- 
well volley, which eased a few more horses 
of their riders, and then got under cover 
again, to await what might next occur. 

But the Mexican caballeros had no notion 
of coming up to the scratch a third time. 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS : — THE STRUGGLE. 



171 



They kept patrolling about, some three or 
four hundred yards off, and tiring volleys al 
us, which they were able to do with perfect 
impunity, as at that distance we did not 
think proper to return a shot. 

The skirmish had lasted nearly three 
quarters of an hour. Strange to say, we 
had not had a single man wounded, although 
at times the bullets had fallen about us as 
thick as hail. We could not account for 
this. JVlanyofus had been hit by the balls, 
but a bruise or a graze of the skin was the 
worst consequence that had ensued. We 
were in a fair way to deem ourselves invul- 
nerable. 

We were beginning to think that the fight 
was over for the day, when our videttes at 
the lower ford brought us the somewhat un- 
pleasant intelligence that large masses of 
infantry were approaching the river, and 
would soon be in sight. The words were 
hardly uttered, when the roll of the drums, 
and shrill squeak of the fife became audible, 
and in a few minutes the head of the column 
of infantry, having crossed the ford, ascended 
the sloping bank, and defiled in the prairie 
opposite the island of muskeet trees. As 
company after company appeared, we were 
able to form a pretty exact estimate of their 
numbers. There were two battalions, to- 
gether about a thousand men; and they 
brought a field-piece with them. 

These were certainly rather long odds to 
be opposed to seventy-two men and three offi- 
cers ; for it must be remembered that we 
had left twenty of our people at the mission, 
and in the island of trees. Two battalions of 
infantry, and six squadrons of dragoons — the 
latter, to be sure, disheartened and dimin- 
ished by the loss of some fifty men, but 
nevertheless formidable opponents, now they 
were supported by the foot soldiers. About 
twenty Mexicans to each of us. It was get- 
ting past a joke. We were all capital shots, 
and most of us, besides eur rifles, had a brace 
of pistols in our belts; but what were seventy- 
five rifles, and five or six score of pistols 
against a thousand muskets and bayonets, 
two hundred and fifty dragoons, and a field- 
piece loaded with canister? If the Mexicans 
had a spark of courage or soldiership about 
them, our fate was sealed. But it was ex- 
actly this courage and soldiership, which we 
made sure would be venting. 

Nevertheless we, the officers, could not 
repress a feeling of anxiety and self-reproach, 
when we reflected that we had broushl our 



comrades into such a hazardous predica- 
ment. But on looking around us, our ap- 
prehensions vanished. Nothing could exceed 
the perfect coolness and confidence with 
which the men were cleaning and preparing 
their rifles for the approaching conflict; no 
bravado — no boasting, talking, or laughing, 
but a calm decision of manner, which at 
once told us, that if it were possible to over- 
come such odds as were brought against us, 
those were the men to do it. 

Our arrangements for the approaching 
struggle were soon completed. Fanning and 
Wharton were to make head against the in- 
fantry and cavalry. I was to capture the 
field-piece — an eight-pounder. 

This gun was placed by the Mexicans 
upon their extreme left, close to the river, 
the shores of which it commanded for a con- 
siderable distance. The bank on which we 
were posted was, as before mentioned, in- 
dented by caves and hollows, and covered 
with a thick tapestry of vines and other 
plants, which was now very useful in con- 
cealing us from the artillerymen. The lat- 
ter made a pretty good guess at our position 
however, and at the first discharge, the 
canister whizzed past us at a very short dis- 
tance. There was not a moment to lose, for 
one well-directed shot might exterminate half 
of us. Followed by a dozen men, I worked 
my w'ay as well as I could through the laby- 
rinth of vines and bushes, and was not more 
than fifty yards from the gun, when it was 
again fired. No one was hurt, although the 
shot was evidently intended for my party. 
The enemy could not see us; but the motion 
of the vines, as we passed through them, had 
betrayed our whereabout : so, perceiving 
that we were discovered, I sprang up the 
bank into the prairie, followed by my men, 
to whom I shouted, above all to aim at the 
artillerymen. 

I had raised my own rifle to my shoulder, 
when I let it fall again in astonishment at 
an apparition that presented itself to my 
view. This was a tall, lean, wild figure, 
with a face overgrown by a long beard that 
hung down upon his breast, and dressed in 
a leather cap, jacket, and moccasins. Where 
this man had sprung from was a perfect rid- 
dle. He was unknown to any of us, although 
I had some vague recollection of having seen 
him before, but where or when, I could not 
call to mind. He had a long rifle in his 
hands, which he must have fired once alrea- 
dy, for one of the artillerymen lay dead by 



172 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS: — THE STRUGGLE. 



the gun. At the moment I first caught sight 
of him, he shot clown another, and then 
began reloading with a rapid dexterity, that 
proved him to be well used to the thing. ]\Iy 
men were as much astonished as I was by 
this strange apparition, which appeared to 
have started out of the earth; and for a few 
seconds they forgot to fire, and stood gazing 
at the stranger. The latter did not seem to 
approve of their inaction. 

" D yer eyes, ye starin' fools," shout- 
ed he in a rough hoarse voice, "don't ye see 
them art'lerymen? Why don't ye knock 'em 
on the head?" 

It certainly was not the moment to remain 
idle. We fired ; but our astonishment had 
thrown us off our balance, and we nearly all 
missed. We sprang down the bank again to 
load, just as the men serving the gun were 
slewing it round, so as to bring it to bear 
upon us. Before this was accomplished, we 
were under cover, and the stranger had the 
benefit of the discharge, of which be took no 
more notice than if he had borne a charmed 
life. Again we heard the crack of his rifle, 
and when, having reloaded, we once more 
ascended the bank, he was taking aim at the 
last artilleryman, who fell, as his companions 
had done. 

"D yc, for laggin' fellers!" growled 

the stranofer. " Why don't ye take that 'ere 
big fijun?" 

Our small numbers, the bad direction of 
our first volley, but above all, the precipita- 
tion with which we had jumped down the 
bank after firing it, had so encouraged the 
enemy, that a company of infantry, drawn 
up some distance in rear of the field-piece, 
fired a volley, and advanced at double-quick 
time, part of them making a small detour 
with the intention of cutting us off from our 
friends. At this moment, we saw Fanning 
and thirty men coming along the river bank 
to our assistance; so without minding the 
Mexicans who were getting behind us, we 
rushed forward to within twenty paces of 
those in our front, and taking steady aim, 
brought down every man his bird. The sort 
of desperate coolness with which this was 
done, produced the greater effect on our op- 
ponents, as being something quite out of their 
way. They would, perhaps, have stood 
firm against a volley from five times our 
number, at a rather greater distance; but 
they did not like having their mustaches 
singed by our powder; and after a moment's 
wavering and hesitation, they shouted out 



"Diabolos! Diabolos!" and throwing away 
their muskets, broke into a precipitate flight. 

Fanning and Wharton now came up with 
all the men. Under cover of the infantry's 
advance, the gun had been re-manned, but, 
luckily for us, only by infantry soldiers; for 
had there been artillerymen to seize the mo- 
ment when we were all standing exposed on 
the prairie, they might have diminished our 
numbers not a little. The fuse was already 
burning, and we had just time to get under 
the bank when the gun went off. Up we 
jumped again, and looked about us to see 
what was next to be done. 

Although hitherto all the advantages had 
been on our side, our situation was still a 
very perilous one. The company we had 
put to flight had rejoined its battalion, which 
was now beginning to advance hy echelon of 
companies. The second battalion, which 
was rather further from us, was moving for- 
ward in like manner, and in a parallel direc- 
tion. We should probably, therefore, have 
to resist the attack of a dozen companies, one 
after the other ; and it was to be feared that 
the Mexicans would finish by getting over 
their panic terror of our rifles, and exchange 
their distant and ineffectual platoon-firing for 
a charge with the bayonet, in which their 
superior numbers would tell. We observed, 
also, that the cavalry, which had been keep- 
ing itself at a safe distance, was now put in 
motion, and formed up close to the island 
of muskeet trees, to which the right flank 
of the infantry was also extending itself. 
Thence they had clear ground for a charge 
down upon us. 

Meanwhile, what had become of the twelve 
men whom we had left in the island? Were 
they still there, or had they fallen back upon 
the mission in dismay at the overwhelming 
force of the Mexicans? If the latter, it was 
a bad business for us, for they were all capi- 
tal shots, and well armed with rifles and pis- 
tols. We heartily wished we had brought 
them with us, as well as the eight men at 
the mission. Cut off from us as they were, 
what could they do against the whole of the 
cavalry and two companies of infantry 
which were now approaching the island? 
To add to our difficulties, our ammunition 
was beginning to run short. Many of us 
had only had enough powder and ball for 
fifleen or sixteen charges, which were now 
reduced to six or seven. It was no use de- 
sponding, however; and, after a hurried con- 
sultation, it was agreed that Fanning and 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS: THE STRUGGLE. 



173 



Wharton should open a fire upon the enemy's 
centre, while I made a dash at the field-piece 
before any more infantry had time to come 
up for its protection. 

The infantry-men who had re-manned the 
gun were by this time shot down, and, as 
none had come to replace them, it was 
served by an officer alone. Just as I gave 
the order to advance to the twenty men who 
were to follow me, this officer fell. Simul- 
taneously with his fall, I heard a sort of yell 
behind me, and, turning round, saw that it 
proceeded from the wild spectre-looking 
stranger, whom I had lost sight of during 
the last few minutes. A ball had struck him, 
and he fell heavily to the ground, his rifle, 
which had just been discharged, and was 
still smoking from muzzle and touchhole, 
clutched convulsively in both hands; his 
features distorted, his eyes rolling frightfully. 
There was something in the expression of 
his face at that moment which brought back 
to me, in vivid colouring, one of the earliest 
and most striking incidents of my residence 
in Texas. Had I not myselfseen him hung, 
I could have sworn that Bob Rock, the mur- 
derer, now lay before me. 

A second look at the man gave additional 
force to this idea. 

"Rob!" [exclaimed. 

" Bob!" repeated the wounded man, in a 
broken voice, and with a look of astonish- 
ment, almost of dismay. " ^Vho calls Bob?" 

A wild gleam shot from his eyes, which 
the next instant closed. He had become 
insensible. 

It was neither the time nor the place to 
indulge in speculations on this singular re- 
surrection of a man whose execution I had 
myself witnessed. With twelve hundred foes 
around us, we had plenty to occupy all our 
thoughts and attention. ]\Iy people were 
already masters of the gun, and some of 
them drew it forwards and pointed it against 
the enemy, while the others spread out right 
and left to protect it with their rifles. I was 
busy loading the piece when an exclamation 
of surprise iVom one of the men made me 
look up. 

There seemed to be something extraordi- 
nary happening amongst the Mexicans, to 
judge from the degree of confusion which 
suddenly showed itself in their ranks, and 
which, beginning with the cavalry and right 
flank of the infantry, soon became general 
throughout the whole force. It was a sort 
of wavering and unsteadiness which, to us, 
15* 



was quite unaccountable, for Fanning and 
Wharton had not yet fired twenty shots, and, 
indeed, had only just come within range of 
the enemy. Not knowing what it could 
portend, 1 called in my men and stationed 
them round the gun, which I had double- 
shotted, and stood ready to fire. 

The confusion in the Mexican ranks in- 
creased. For about a minute they waved 
and reeled to and fro, as if uncertain which 
way to go; and, at last, the cavalry and 
right of the line, fairly broke, and ran for it. 
This example was followed by the centre, 
and presently the whole of the two battalions 
and three hundred cavalry were scattered 
over the prairie, in the wildest and most 
disorderly flight. I gave them a parting 
salute from the eight-pounder, which would 
doubtless have accelerated their movements 
had it been possible to have run faster than 
they were already doing. 

We stood staring after the fugitives in 
perfect bewilderment, totally unable to ex- 
plain their apparently causeless panic. At 
last the report of several rifles from the island 
of trees gave us a clue to the mystery. 

The infantry, whose left flank extended 
to the Salado, had pushed their right into 
the prairie as far as the island of muskeet 
trees, in order to connect their line with the 
dragoons, and then by making a general 
advance, to attack us on all sides at once, 
and get the full advantage of their superior 
numbers. The plan was not a bad one. 
Infantry and cavalry approached the island, 
quite unsuspicious of its being occupied. 
The twelve riflemen whom we had stationed 
there remained perfectly quiet, concealed be- 
hind the trees; allowed squadrons and com- 
panies to come within twenty paces of them, 
and then opened their fire, first from their 
pistols, then from their rifles. 

Some six and thirty shots, every one of 
which told, fired suddenly from a cover close 
to their rear, were enough to startle even 
the best troops, much more so our Mexican 
dons, who, already sufficiently inclined to a 
panic, now believed themselves fallen into an 
ambuscade, and surrounded on all sides by 
the incarnate diahoJos, as they called us. 
The cavalry, who had not yet recovered the 
thrashing we had given them, were ready 
enough for a run, and the infantry were not 
slow to follow them. 

Our first impulse was naturally to pursue 
the flying enemy, but a discovery made by 
some of the men, induced us to abandon that 



174 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS : THE STRUGGLE. 



idea. They had opened the pouches of the 
dead Mexicans in order to supply themselves 
with amunition, ours being nearly expended; 
but the powder of the cartridges turned out 
so bad as to be useless. It was little better 
than coal dust, and would not carry a ball 
fifty paces to kill or wound. This accounted 
for our apparent invulnerability to the fire 
of the Mexicans. The muskets also were of 
a very inferior description. Both they and 
the cartridges were of English make; the 
former being stamped Birmingham, and the 
latter having the name of an English powder 
manufactory, with the significant addition, 
" for exportation." 

Under these circumstances, we had no- 
thing to do but let the Mexicans run. We 
sent a detachment to the muskeet island, to 
unite itself with the twelve men who had 
done such good service there, and thence 
advance towards the ford. We ourselves 
proceeded slowly in the latter direction. This 
demonstration brought the fugitives back 
again, for they had, most of them, in the 
wild precipitation of their flight, passed the 
only place where they could cross the river. 
They began crowding over in the greatest 
confusion, foot and horse all mixed up to- 
gether; and by the time we got within a 
hundred paces of the ford, the prairie was 
nearly clear of them. There were still a 
couple of hundred men on our side of the 
water, completely at our mercy, and Whar- 
ton, who was a little in front with thirty 
men, gave the word to fire upon them. 
No one obeyed. He repeated the com- 
mand. Not a rifle was raised. He stared al 
his men, astonished and impatient at this 
strange disobedience. An old weather-beaten 
bear-hunter stepped forward, squirting out 
his tobacco juice with all imaginable delibe- 
ration. 

" I tell ye what, capting!" said he, pass- 
ing his quid over from his right cheek to 
his left; "I calkilate, capting," he con- 
tinued, " we'd better leave the poor devils of 
dons alone." 

"The poor devils of dons alone!" re- 
peated Wharton in a rage. "Are you mad, 
man?" 

Fanning and I had just come up with our 
detachment, and were not less surprised and 
angry than Wharton was, at this breach of 
discipline. The man, however, did not 
allow himself to be disconcerted. 

" There's a proverb, gentlemen," said he, 
turning to us, " which says, that one should 



build a golden bridge for a beaten enemy; 
and a good proverb it is, I calkilate — a con- 
siderable good one." 

" What do you mean, man, with your 
golden bridge?" cried Fanning. "This is 
no time for proverbs." 

" Do you know that you are liable to be 
punished for insubordination V said I. " It's 
your duty to fire, and do the enemy all the 
harm you can ; not to be quoting proverbs." 

" Calkilate it is," replied the man very 
coolly. " Calkilate I could shoot 'em with- 
out either danger or trouble; but I reckon 
that would be like Spaniards or ^Mexicans; 
not like Americans — not prudent." 

"Not like Americans? Would you let 
the enemy escape, then, when we have him 
in our power?" 

" Calkilate I would. Calkilate we should 
do ourselves more harm than him by shootin' 
down his people. That was a considerable 
sensible commandment of yourn, always to 
shoot the foremost of the Mexicans when 
they attacked. It discouraged the bold ones, 
and was a sort of premium on cowardice. 
Them as lagged behind escaped, them as 
came bravely on was shot. It was a good 
calkilation. If we had shot 'em without dis- 
crimination, the cowards would have got 
bold, seein' that they weren't safer in rear 
than in front. The cowards are our best 
friends. Now them runaways," continued 
he, pointing to the Mexicans, who were 
crowding over the river, " are jest the most 
cowardly of 'em all, tor in their fright they 
quite forgot the ford, and it's because they 
ran so far bejond it, that they are last to 
cross the water. And if you fire at 'em 
now, they'll find that they get nothin' by 
bein' cowards, and next time, I reckon, 
they'll sell their hides as dear as they can." 

LFntimely as this palaver, to use a popular 
word, undoubtedly was, we could scarcely 
forbear smiling at the simple na'ive manner 
in which the old Yankee spoke his mind. 

" Calkilate, captings," he concluded, 
" you'd better let the poor devils run. We 
shall get more profit by it than if we shot 
five hundred of 'em. Next time they'll run 
away directly, to show their gratitude for 
our ginerosity." 

The man stepped back into the ranks, 
and his comrades nodded approvingly, and 
calculated and reckoned that Zebediah had 
spoke a true word ; and meanwhile the 
enemy had crossed the river, and was out 
of our reach. We were forced to content 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS: THE STRUGGLE. 



175 



ourselves with sending a party across the 
water to follow up the Mexicans, and observe 
the direction they look. We then returned 
to our old position. 

My first thought on arriving there was to 
search for the body of Bob Rock — for he it 
undoubtedly was, who had so mysteriously 
appeared amongst us. I repaired to the 
spot where I had seen him fall ; but could 
discover no signs ol' him, either dead or 
alive. I went over the whole scene of the 
fight, searched amongst the vines and along 
the bank of the river ; there were plenty of 
dead Mexicans — cavalry, infantry, and artil- 
lery, but no Bob was to be found, nor could 
any one inform me what had become of him, 
although several had seen him fall. 

I was continuing my search, when I met 
Wharton, who asked me what I was seek- 
ing, and on learning, shook his head gravely. 
He had seen the wild prairieman, he said, 
but whence he came, or whither he was 
gone, was more than he could tell. It was 
a long time since any thing had startled and 
astonished him so much as this man's ap- 
pearance and proceedings. He (Wharton,) 
had been stationed with his party amongst 
the vines, about fifty paces in rear of Fan- 
ning's people, when just as the Mexican in- 
fantry had crossed the ford, and were form- 
ing up, he saw a man approaching at a brisk 
trot from the north side of the prairie. He 
halted about a couple of hundred yards from 
Wharton, tied his mustang to a bush, and 
with his rifle on his arm, strode along the 
edge of the prairie in the direction of the 
]\Iexicans. ^V'hen he passed near Wharton, 
the latter called out to him to halt, and say 
who he was, whence he came, and whither 
going.^ 

" Who I am is no business of yourn," 
replied the man; " nor where I come from 
neither. You'll soon see where I'm goin'. 
I'm goin' agin' the enemy." 

" Then you must come and join us," cried 
Wharton. 

This the stranger testily refused to do. 
He'd fight on his own hook, he said. 

Wharton told him he must not do that. 

He should like lo see who'd hinder him, 
he said, and walked on. The next moment 
he shot the first artilleryman. After that 
they let him take his own way. 

Neither Wharton, nor any of his men, 
knew what had become of him; but at last 
I met with a bear-hunter, who gave me the 
following information. 



" Calkilatin'," said he, " that the wild 
prairieman's rifle was a capital good one, as 
good a one as ever killed a bear, he tho't it 
a pity that it should fall into bad hands, so 
went to secure it himself, although the front- 
ispiece of its dead owner warn't very invitin'. 
But when he stooped to take the gun, he got 
such a shove as knocked him backwards, 
and on getting up, he saw the prairieman 
openin' his jacket and examinin' a wound 
on his breast, which was neither deep nor 
dangerous, although it had taken away the 
man's senses for a while. The ball had 
struck the breast bone, and was quite near 
the skin, so that the wounded man pushed 
it out with his fingers; and then supporting 
himself on his rifle, got up from the ground, 
and without either a thankye, or a d — nye, 
walked to where his mustang was tied up, 
got on its back, and rode slowly away in a 
northerly direction. 

This was all the information I could ob- 
tain on the subject, and shortly afterwards 
the main body of our army came up, and I 
had other matters to occupy my attention. 
General Austin expressed his gratitude and 
approbation to our brave fellows, after a 
truly republican and democratic fashion. 
He shook hands with all the rough bear and 
buffalo hunters, and drank with them. Fan- 
ning and myself he promoted, on the spot, 
to the rank of colonel. 

We were giving the general a detailed 
account of the morning's events, when a 
Mexican priest appeared with a flag of truce 
and several waggons, and craved permission 
to take away the dead. This was of course 
granted, and we had some talk with the 
padre, who, however, was too wily a cus- 
tomer to allow himself to be pumped. What 
little we did get out of him, determined us 
to advance the same afternoon against San 
Antonio. We thought there was some 
chance, that in the present panic-struck 
state of the Mexicans, we might obtain pos- 
session of the place by a bold and sudden 
assault. 

In this, however, we were mistaken. We 
found the gates closed, and the enemy on 
his guard, but too dispirited to oppose our 
taking up a position at about cannon-shot 
from the great redoubt. We had soon in- 
vested all the outlets from the city. 

San Antonio de Bexar lies in a fertile and 
well-irrigated valley, stretching westward 
from the river Salado. In the centre of the 
town rises the fort of the Alamo, which at 



176 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS: THE STRUGGLE. 



that time was armed with forty-eight pieces 
of artillery of various calibre. The gar- 
rison of the town and fortress was nearly 
three thousand strong. 

Our artillery consisted of two batteries of 
four six, and five eight-pounders; our army 
of eleven hundred men, with which we had 
not only to carry on the siege, but also to 
make head against the forces that would be 
sent against us from Cohahuila, on the fron- 
tier of which province General Cos was sta- 
tioned, with a strong body of troops. 

We were not discouraged, however, and 
opened our fire upon the city. During the 
first vveek, not a day passed without smart 
skirmishes. General Cos's dragoons were 
swarming about us like so many Bedouins. 
But although well-mounted, and capital 
horsemen, they were no match for our 
backwoodsmen. Those from the western 
stales especially, accustomed to Indian war- 
fare and cunning, laid traps and ambuscades 
for the Mexicans, and were constantly de- 
stroying their detachments. As for the be- 
sieged, if one of them showed his head for 
ten seconds above the city wall, he was sure 
of getting a rifle bullet through it. I cannot 
say that our besieging army was a perfect 
model of military discipline; but any defi- 
ciencies in that respect were made good by 
the intelligence of the men, and the zeal and 
unanimity with which they pursued the ac- 
complishment of one great object — the cap- 
ture of the city — the liberty and independ- 
ence of Texas. 

The badness of the gunpowder used by 
the Mexicans, was again of great service to 
us. Many of their cannon balls that fell far 
short of us, were collected and returned to 
them with powerful effect. We kept a sharp 
look-out for convoys, and captured no less 
than three — one of horses, another of pro- 
visions, and twenty thousand dollars in 
money. 

After an eight weeks' siege, a breach hav- 
ing been made, the city surrendered, and a 
month later the fort followed the example. 
With a powerful park of artillery, we then 
advanced upon Goliad, the strongest fortress 
in Texas, which likewise capitulated in about 
four weeks' time. We were now masters of 
the whole country, and the war was appa- 
rently at an end. 

But the Mexicans were not the people to 
give up their best province so easily. They 
have too much of the old Spanish character 
about them — that determined obstinacy 



which sustained the Spaniards during their 
protracted struggle against the Moors. The 
honour of their republic was compromised, 
and that must be redeemed. Thundering 
proclamations were issued, denouncing the 
Texians as rebels, who should be swept off 
the face of the earth, and threatening the 
United States for having aided us with 
money and volunteers. Ten thousand of 
the best troops in Mexico entered Texas, 
and were shortly to be followed by ten thou- 
sand more. The President, General Santa 
Anna, himself came to take the command, 
attended by a numerous and brilliant staflf. 

The Texians laughed at the fanfarronades 
of the dons, and did not attach sufficient im- 
portance to these formidable preparations. 
Their good opinion of themselves, and con- 
tempt of their foes, had been increased to an 
unreasonable degree by their recent and 
rapid successes. They forgot that the 
troops to which they had hitherto been op- 
posed were for the most part militia, and 
that those now advancing against them were 
of a far better description, and had probably 
better powder. The call to arms made by 
our president, Burnet, was disregarded by 
many, and we could only get together about 
two thousand men, of whom nearly two- 
thirds had to be left to garrison the forts of 
Goliad and Alamo. In the first named 
place we left seven hundred and sixty men, 
under the command of Fanning; in the lat- 
ter, something more than five hundred. 
With the remaining seven or eight hundred, 
we took the field. 

The Mexicans advanced so rapidly, that 
they were upon us before we were aware of 
it, and we were compelled to retreat, leaving 
the garrisons of the two forts to their fate, 
and a right melancholy one it proved to be. 

One morning news was brought to 
Goliad, that a number of country people, 
principally women and children, were on 
their way to the fort, closely pursued by the 
Mexicans. Fanning, losing sight of pru- 
dence in his compassion for these poor peo- 
ple, immediately ordered a battalion of five 
hundred men, under the command of I\Iajor 
Ward, to go and meet the fugitives and 
escort them in. The major, and several 
officers of the garrison, doubted as to the 
propriety of this measure; but Fanning, full 
of sympathy for his unprotected country- 
women, insisted, and the battalion moved 
out. They soon came in sight of the fugi- 
tives, as they thought, but on drawing 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS: THE STRUGGLE. 



177 



nearer, (he latter turned out to be Mexican 
dragoons, who sprang upon their horses, 
which were concealed in the neighbouring 
islands of trees, and a desperate fight began. 
The Mexicans, far superior in numbers, re- 
ceived every moment accessions to their 
strength. The Louis-Potosi and Santa Fe 
cavalry, fellows who seem born on horse- 
back, were there. Our unfortunate country- 
men were hemmed in on all sides. The 
fight lasted two days, and only two men out 
of the five hundred escaped with their lives. 

Before the news of this misfortune reached 
us, orders had been sent to Fanning to eva- 
cuate the fort and join us with six pieces of 
artillery. He received the order, and pro- 
ceeded to execute it. But what might have 
been very practicable for eight hundred and 
sixty men, was impossible for three hundred 
and sixty. Nevertheless, Fanning began his 
march through the prairie. His little band 
was almost immediately surrounded by the 
enemy. After a gallant defence, which lasted 
twelve hours, they succeeded in reaching an 
island, but scarcely had they established 
themselves there, when they found that their 
ammunition was expended. There was no- 
thing left for them, but to accept the terms 
offered by the Mexicans, who pledged them- 
selves, that if they laid down their arms, 
they should be permitted to return to their 
homes. But the rifles were no sooner piled, 
than the Texians found themselves charged 
by their treacherous foes, w'ho butchered them 
without mercy. Only an advanced post of 
three men succeeded in escaping. 

The five hundred men whom we had lefl 
in San Antonio de Bexar, fared no better. 
Not being sufficiently numerous to hold out 
the town as well as the Alamo, they retreated 
into the latter. The Mexican artillery soon 
laid a part of the fort in ruins. Still its de- 
fenders held out. Afler eight days' fighting, 
during which the loss of the besiegers was 
tremendously severe, the Alamo was taken, 
and not a single Tcxian left alive. 

We thus, by these two cruel blows, lost 
two-thirds of our army, and little more than 
seven hundred men remained to resist the 
numerous legions of our victorious foe. The 
prospect before us was one well calculated 
to daunt the stoutest heart. 

The Mexican general, Santa Anna, moved 
his army forward in two divisions, one stretch- 
ing along the coast towards Velasco, the 
other advancing towards San Felipe de Aus- 
tin, He himseli', with a small force, marched 



in the centre. At Fort Bend, twenty miles 
below San Felipe, he crossed the Brazos, 
and slioi'tly afterwards established himself 
with about fifleen hundred men in an en- 
trenched camp. Our army, under the com- 
mand of General Houston, was in front of 
Harrisburg, to which place the congress had 
retreated. 

It was on the night of the twentieth of 
April, and our whole disposable force, some 
seven hundred men, was bivouacking in and 
about an island of sycamores. It was a 
cloudy, stormy evening: a high wind was 
blowing, and the branches of the trees groaned 
and creaked above our heads. The weather 
harmonized well enough with our feelings, 
which were sad and desponding when we 
thought of the desperate state of our cause. 
We (tlie officers) were sitting in a circle 
round the general and Alcalde, both of \vhom 
appeared uneasy and anxious. More than 
once they got up, and walked backwards and 
forwards, seemingly impatient, and as if they 
were waiting for or expecting something. 
There w-as a deep silence throughout the 
whole bivouac; some were sleeping, and 
those who watched were in no humour for 
idle chat. 

"Who goes there?" suddenly shouted one 
of the sentries. The answer we did not 
hear, but it was apparently satisfactory, for 
there was no further challenge, and a few 
seconds afterwards an orderly came up, and 
whispered something in the ear of the Alcalde. 
The latter hurried away, and, pi'esently re- 
turning, spoke a few words in a low tone to 
the general, and then to us officers. In an 
instant we were all upon our feet. In less 
than ten minutes, the bivouac w-as bi'oken up, 
and our little army on the march. 

All our people were well mounted, and 
armed with rifles, pistols, and bowie-knives. 
We had six field-pieces, but we only took 
four, harnessed with twice the usual number 
of horses. We marched at a rapid trot the 
whole night, led by a tall, gaunt figure of a 
man who acted as our guide, and kept some 
distance in front. I more than once asked 
the Alcalde who this was. "You will know 
by and by," was his answer. 

Before daybreak we had ridden five and 
twenty miles, but had been compelled to 
abandon two more guns. As yet, no one 
knew the object of this forced march. The 
general commanded a halt, and ordered the 
men to refresh and strengthen themselves by 
food and drink. While they were doing 



178 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS: — THE STRUGGLE. 



this, he assembled the officers around him, 
and the meanino; of our niglit-march was ex- 
plained to us. The camp in which the 
Mexican president and general-in-chief had 
entrenched himself was within a mile of us; 
general Parza, with two thousand men, was 
twenty miles further to the rear; General 
Filasola, with one thousand, eighteen miles 
lower down on the Brazos; Viesca, with fif- 
teen hundred, twenty-five miles higher up. 
One bold and decided blow, and Texas might 
yet be free. There was not a moment to 
lose, nor was one lost. The general ad- 
dressed the men. 

"Friends! Brothers! Citizens! General 
Santa Anna is within a mile of us with fifteen 
hundred men. The hour that is to decide 
the question of Texian liberty is now arrived. 
What say you? Do we attack?" 

"We do!" exclaimed the men with one 
voice, cheerfully and decidedly. 

In the most perfect stillness, we arrived 
within two hundred paces of the enemy's 
camp. The revcillee of the sleeping Mexi- 
cans was the discharge of our two field-pieces 
loaded with canister. Rushing on to within 
twenty-five paces of the entrenchment, we 
gave them a deadly volley from our rifles, 
and then, throwing away the latter, bounded 
up the breastworks, a pistol in each hand. 
The Mexicans, scared and stupefied by this 
sudden attack, were running about in the 
wildest confusion, seeking their arms, and 
not knowing which way to turn. Afi:er firing 
our pistols, we threw them away as we had 
done our rifles, and, drawing our bowie- 
knives, fell, with a shout, upon the masses of 
the terrified foe. It was more like the board- 
ing of a ship than any land fight I had ever 
seen or imagined. 

My station was on the right of the line, 
where the breastwork, ending in a redoubt, 
was steep and high. I made two attempts to 
climb up, but both times slipped back. On 
the third trial I nearly gained the summit; 
but was again slipping down, when a hand 
seized me by the collar, and pulled me up on 
the bank. In the darkness and confusion I 
did not distinguish the face of the man who 
rendered me this assistance. I only saw the 
glitter of a bayonet which a Mexican thrust 
into his shoulder, at the very moment he 
was helping me up. He neither flinched nor 
let go his hold of me till I was fairly on mv 
feet ; then, turning slowly round, he levelled 
a pistol at the soldier, who, at that very mo- 
ment, was struck down by the Alcalde. 



" No thanks to ye, squire!" exclaimed the 
man, in a voice which made me start, even 
at that moment of excitement and bustle. I 
looked at the speaker, but could only see his 
back, for he had already plunged into the 
thick of the fight, and was engaged with a 
party of Mexicans, who defended themselves 
desperately. He fought like a man more 
anxious to be killed than to kill, striking 
furiously right and left, but never guarding a 
blow, though the Alcalde, who was by his 
side, warded off several which were aimed at 
him. 

By this time my men had scrambled up 
after me. I looked round to see where our 
help was most wanted, and was about to lead 
them forward, when I heard the voice of the 
Alcalde. 

"Are you badly hurt. Bob?" said he in an 
anxious tone. 

I glanced at the spot whence the voice 
came. There lay Bob Rock, covered with 
blood, and apparently insensible. The Al- 
calde was supporting his head on his arm. 
Before I had time to give a second look I was 
hurried forward with the rest towards the 
centre of the camp, where the fight was at 
the hottest. 

About five hundred men, the pick of the 
Mexican army, had collected round a knot of 
staff'-ofiicers, and were making a most gal- 
lant defence. General Houston had attacked 
them with three hundred of our people, but 
had not been able to break their ranks. His 
charge, however, had shaken them a little, 
and, before they had time to recover from it, 
I came up. Giving a wild hurrah, my 
men fired their pistols, hurled them at their 
enemies' heads, and then springing over the 
carcases of the fallen, dashed like a thunder- 
bolt into the broken ranks of the Mexicans. 

A frightful butchery ensued. Our men, 
who were for the most part, and at most times, 
peaceable and humane in disposition, seemed 
converted into perfect fiends. Whole ranks 
of the enemy fell under their knives. Some 
idea may be formed of the horrible slaughter 
from the fact, that the fight, from beginning 
to end, did not last above ten minutes, and 
in that time nearly eight hundred Mexicans 
were shot or cut down. " No quarter!" was 
the cry of the infuriated assailants: " Re- 
member Alamo! Remember Goliad! Think 
of Fanning, Ward!" The Mexicans threw 
themselves on their knees, imploring mercy. 
'■'■ Misericordia ! Cuartel, for el amor de 
Dios!" shrieked they in heart-rending tones; 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS : — THE STRUGGLE. 



179 



but their supplications were not listened to, 
and every man of them would inevitably have 
been butchered, had not General Houston and 
the ofKcers dashed in between the victors and 
the vanquished, and with the greatest diffi- 
culty, and by threats of cutting down our 
own men if they did not desist, put an end to 
this scene of bloodshed, and saved the Texian 
character from the stain of unmanly cruelty. 

When all was over, I hurried back to the 
place where I had left the Alcalde with Bob — 
the latter lay, bleeding from six wounds, only 
a few paces from the spot where he had help- 
ed me up the breastwork. The bodies of 
two dead IMexicans served him for a pillow. 
The Alcalde was kneeling by his side, gaz- 
ing sadly and earnestly into the face of the 
dying man. 

For Bob was dying; but it was no longer 
the death of the despairing murderer. The 
expression of his features was calm and com- 
posed, and his eyes were raised to heaven 
with a look of hope and supplication. 

I stooped down and asked him how he 
felt himself, but he made no answer, and 
evidently did not recollect me. After a mi- 
nute or two, 

"How goes it with the fight?" he asked 
in a broken voice. 

" We have conquered. Bob. The enemy 
killed or taken. Not a man escaped." 

He paused a little, and then spoke again. 

" Have I done my duty ? May I hope to 
be forgiven V 

The Alcalde answered him in an agitated 
voice. 

" He who forgave the sinner on the cross, 
will doubtless be merciful to you. Bob. His 
holy book says: There is moi'e joy over one 
sinner that repenteth than over ninety and 
nine just men. Be of good hope. Bob ! the 
Almighty will surely be merciful to you!" 

" Thank ye, squire," gasped Bob, " you're 
a true friend, a friend in life and in death. 
Well, it's come at last," said he, while a re- 
signed and happy smile stole over his fea- 
tures. " I've prayed for it long enough. 
Thank God, it's come at last!" 

He gazed up at the Alcalde with a kindly 
expression of countenance. There was a 
slight shuddering movement of his whole 
frame — Bob was dead. 

The Alcalde remained kneeling for a short 
lime beside the corpse, his lips moving in 
prayer. At last he rose to his feet. 

" God desireth not the death of a sinner, 
but rather that he may turn from his wick- 



edness and live," said he, in a low and solemn 
tone. "Ihad those words in my thoughts 
four years ago, when I cut him down from 
the branch of the Patriarch." 

" Four years ago !" cried I. " Then yori 
cut him down, and were in time to save 
him! Was it he who yesterday brought us 
the news of the vicinity of the foe?" 

" It was, and much more than that has he 
done," replied the Alcalde, no longer striv- 
ing to conceal the tears that fell from his 
eyes. " For four years has he dragged on 
his wretched existence, weary of the world, 
and despised of all men. For four years has 
he served us, lived, fought, and spied for us, 
without honour, reward, hope, or consolation 
— without a single hour of tranquillity, or a 
wish for aught except death. All this to 
serve Texas and his countrymen. Who 
shall say this man was not a true patriot? 
God will surely be merciful to his soul," 
said the Alcalde after a pause. • 

" I trust he will," answered I, deeply 
affected. 

We were interrupted at this moment by a 
message from General Houston, to whom we 
immediately hastened. All was uproar and 
confusion. Santa Anna could not be found 
amongst the prisoners. 

This was a terrible disappointment, for the 
capture of the Mexican president had been 
our principal object, and the victory we had 
gained was comparatively unimportant if he 
escaped. Indeed, the hope of putting an end 
to the war by his capture, had more than any 
thing encouraged and stimulated us to the 
unequal confhct. 

The moment was a very critical one. 
Amongst our men were some thirty or forty 
most desperate characters, who began hand- 
ling their knives, and casting looks upon the 
prisoners, the meaning of which it was im- 
possible to mistake. Selecting some of our 
trustiest men, we stationed them as a guard 
over the captives, and, having thus assured 
the safety of the latter, began questioning 
them as to what had become of their general. 

They had none of them seen Santa Anna 
since the commencement of the fight, and it 
was clear that he must have made his escape 
while we were getting over the breastworks. 
He could not be very far off, and we at once 
took measures to find him, A hundred men 
were sent off with the prisoners to Harris- 
burg, and a hundred others, capitally mounted 
on horses found in the Mexican camp, started 
to scour the country in search of the fugi- 



ISO 



ADVENTURES IN TEXAS: THE STRUGGLE. 



tive chief. I accompanied the latter detach- 
ment. 

We had been twelve hours in the saddle, 
and had ridden over nearly a hundred miles 
of ground. We began to despair of finding 
the game we were in quest of, and were 
thinking of abandoning the chase, when at a 
distance of about seven miles from the camp, 
one of our most experienced hunters dis- 
covered the print of a small and delicate 
boot upon some soft ground leading to a 
marsh. Following this trail, it at last led us 
to a man sunk up to his waist in the swamp, 
and so covered with mud and filth, as to be 
quite unrecognizable. We drew him from 
his hiding-place, half dead with cold and 
terror, and, having washed the dirt from his 
face, we found him to be a man of about 
forty years of age, with blue eyes, of a mild, 
but crafty expression ; a narrow, high fore- 
head; long, thin nose, rather fleshy at the 
tip; projecting upper lip, and long chin. 
These features tallied too exactly with the 
description we had had of the Mexican pre- 
sident, for us to doubt that our prisoner was 
Santa Anna himself. 

The only thing that at all tended to shake 
this conviction, was the extraordinary pol- 
troonery of our new captive. He threw him- 
self on his knees, begging us, in the name of 
God and all the saints, to spare his life. Our 
reiterated assurances and promises were in- 
sufticient to convince him of his being in per- 
fect safety, or to induce him to adopt a de- 
meanour more consistent with his dignity and 
high station. 

The events which succeeded this fortunate 
capture are too well known to require more 
than a very brief recapitulation. The same 
evening a truce was agreed upon between 
Houston and Santa Anna, the latter sending 
orders to his different generals to retire upon 
San Antonio de Bexar, and other places in 
the direction of the Mexican frontier. These 
orders, valueless as emanating from a pri- 
soner, most of the generals were weak or 
cowardly enough to obey, an obedience for 
which they were afterwards brought to trial 
by the Mexican congress. In • a few days, 
two-thirds of Texas were in our possession. 

The news of these successes brought crowds 
of volunteers to our standard. In three weeks, 
we had an army of several thousand men, 
with which we advanced against the Mexi- 
cans. There was no more fighting, how- 
ever, for our antagonists had had enough, 
and allowed themselves to be driven from 



one position to another, till, in a month's 
time, there was not one of them left in the 
country. 

The Struggle was over, and Texas was 
Free ! 



From the Charivari. 
THE COMIC BLACKSTONE. 

OF THE king's (oR QUEEN's) DUTIES. 

We now come to the duties of the sovereign, 
which will form a very short chapter, though 
the prerogative which comes next will not be 
so briefly disposed of. The principal duty 
of the sovereign is to govern according to 
law, which is no such easy matter, when it 
is considered how frightfully uncertain the 
law is, and how difficult it must be to govern 
according to any thing so horridly dubious. 
Bracton, who wrote in the time of Henry the 
Third — and a nice time he had of it — de- 
clares that the king is subject to nothing on 
earth ; but Henry the Eighth was subject to 
the gout, and Queen Anne is thought to have 
been subject to chilblains. Fortcscue, who 
was the Archbold of his day, and was al- 
ways bringing out law books, tells us the 
important fact that " the king takes an oath 
at his coronation, and is bound to keep it ;" 
but semble, say we, that if he did not choose 
to keep it he could not be had up at the Old 
Bailey for perjury. Fortescue deserves " a 
pinch for stale news," which was the school- 
boy penalty, in our time, for very late intel- 
ligence. 

To obviate all doubts and difficulties, a 
statute was passed in the reign of William 
the Third, which rendered matters more 
doubtful and more difficult. It was enacted 
that the " laws of England are the birthright 
of the people ;" but there is such a thunder- 
ing legacy duty, in the shape of costs, that 
few people like to administer and take pos- 
session of their precious birthright. The 
statute further goes on to say, that " all kings 
and queens ought'''' to do so and so, and that 
" all officers and ministers ought to" do this, 
that, and the other; but, as Coke quaintly 
says in his dog French, " ought est sur son 
pied pour reang" (ought is upon its feet, the 
canine Norman or dog French for stands, 
pour reang for nothing. 

The duties of the sovereign arc briefly set 
forth in the Coronation oath, which is ar- 
ranged as a duet for the archbishop or bisliop 
and the sovereign. There is, however, some- 



THE EMPIRE OF THE CZAR. 



509 



p^ess one single idea which reigns here 
ev^ry where — war maintained by fear. The 
Kretplin is the work of a superhuman being, 
but that being is malevolent. Glory in slav- 
ery — s'ych is the allegory figured by this 
Satanic ttipnument, as extraordinary in archi- 
tecture asl-he visions of St. John are in poe- 
try. It is a habitation which would suit some 
of the personages of the Apocalypse. In 
vain is each turi'et distinguished by its pecu- 
liar character and its particular use; all 
have the same signification, — terror armed. 
Some resemble the caps of priests, others 
the mouth of a dragOn, others swords, their 
points in the air, others the forms and even 
the colours of various fruits ; some again 
represent a headdress of the czars, pointed, 
and adorned with jewels like that of the 
Doge of Venice ; others are simple crowns : 
and all this multitude of towers of glazed 
tiles, of metallic cupolas, of enamelled, gild- 
ed, azured, and silvered domes, ^hine in the 
sun like the colossal stalactites of the salt- 
mines in the neighbourhood of',Cracow. 
These enormous pillars, these towi^rs and 
turrets of every shape, pointed, pyramidical, 
and circular, but always in some m^nne/ 
sucruestincT the idea of the human form, seem 
to reign over the city and the land. To^ee 
them from afar shining in the sky, one might 
fancy them an assembly of potentates,- richly 
robed and decorated with the insignia of their 
dignity, a meeting of ancestral, beings, a 
council of kings, each seated upon his tomb; 
spectres hovering over the pinnacles of a 
palace. To inhabit a place like the Kremlin 
is not to reside, it is to defend one's self. 
Oppression creates revolt, revolt obliges pre- 
cautions, precautions increase dangers, and 
this long series of actions and reactions en- 
genders a monster ; that monster is despo- 
tism, which has built itself a house at Mos- 
cow. The giants of the antediluvian world, 
were they to return to earth to visit their 
degenerate successors, might still find a suit- 
able habitation in the Kremlin. Everything 
has a symbolical sense, whether purposely 
or not, in its architecture; but the real, the 
abiding, that appears after you have divested 
yourself of your first emotions in the contem- 
plation of these barbaric splendours, is, after 
all, only a congregation of dungeons pomp- 
ously surnamed palaces and cathedrals. The 
Russians may do their best, but they can 
never come out of the prison. The very 
climate is an accomplice of tyranny. The 
cold of the country does not permit the con- 
43* 



struction of vast churches, where the faithful 
would be frozen at prayer: here the soul Is 
not lifted to heaven by the glories of religfous 
architecture; in this zone man caa- only 
build to his God gloomy donjons. T?he som- 
bre cathedrals of the Kremlin, with their 
narrow vaults and thick walls, resemble 
caves ; they are painted prisons, just as the 
palaces are gilded gaols. As travellers say 
of the recesses of the Alps, so of the wonders 
of this architecture — they are horribly beau- 
tiful." 

But the conversion of cathedrals into some- 
thing like prisons, and preventing discussion 
even in the pulpits, have not saved the Rus- 
sian church from dissent. An intelligent 
nobleman assured the Marquis that there 
was a countless variety of sects in Russia. 
Profligacy of manners might naturally be 
expected in a land where religious and moral 
discussion is prohibited, on account of its 
approaching too nearly to reason and argu- 
ment. The Marquis has given anecdotes of 
the licentiousness of nuns, the orgies of noble 
profligates, and the disregard for all the 
decencies of life in aristocratic reunions. 

Although the Marquis was unable to ob- 
tain permission to inspect the state prison, 
one of his countrymen had the misfortune to 
awaken the jealous suspicions of the Russian 
\ police by some incautious act or expression 
r — what, he never was able to ascertain. He 
Was thrown into a cell, separated only by a 
slight partition from the place where the un- 
happy slaves are tortured at the command 
of their masters. His gaolers must have be- 
lieved that M. Pernet had no chance of libe- 
ration, or they never would have given him 
such an opportunity of witnessing the fearful 
secrets of the prison house and the unmiti- 
gated exercise of the rod. 

" Mr. Pernet understands Russian ; he was 
therefore present, without seeing any thing, 
at many private tortures ; among others, at 
those of two young girls, who worked under 
a fashionable milliner at Moscow. These 
unfortunate creatures were flogged before 
the eyes even of their mistress, who re- 
proached them with having lovers, and with 
having so far forgotten themselves as to 
bring them into her house — the house of a 
milliner! — what an enormity! Meanwhile 
this virago exhorted the executioner to strike 
harder : one of the girls begged for mercy : 
they said that she was nearly killed, that 
she was covered with blood ! No matter ! 
She had carried her audacity so far as to 



510 



THE HUNTING WIDOW; OR, 



say that she was less culpable than her mis- 
tress ; and the latter redoubled her severity. 
M. Pernet assured me, observing that he 
thought I might doubt his assertion, that 
each of the unhappy girls received, at dif- 
ferent intervals, a hundred and eighty blows. 
' I suffered too much in counting them,' he 
added, ' to be deceived in the number,' A 
man feels the approach of insanity when pre- 
sent at such horrors, and yet unable to suc- 
cour the victims. Afterwards, serfs and ser- 
vants were brought by stewards, or sent by 
their masters, with the request that they 
might be punished : there was nothing, in 
short, but scenes of atrocious vengeance and 
frightful despair, all hidden from the public 
eye. The unhappy prisoner longed for the 
obscurity of night, because the darkness 
brought with it silence ; and though his 
thougiits then terrified him, he preferred the 
evils of imagination to those of reality." 

M. Pernet was liberated by the interfe- 
rence of the French ambassador, to whom 
our author communicated his case ; he was 
liberated without a word of explanation, and 
commanded to quit Russia without delay. 

We shall now take leave of M. de Cus- 
line. His style is much too high flown to 
suit our sober taste; but his book will help 
to show that the Russian empire is maintain- 
ed by a system of dissimulation and hypo- 
crisy, enforced by cruelty and terror, to con- 
ceal the secret of its internal rottenness. In 
the greatest excitement of Russo-phobia some 
years ago, we maintained that the alarm was 
unfounded, and that Russia had not the 
elements by which the country can be raised 
to universal empire. Voltaire discovered, 
and Napoleon proved its internal weakness ; 
the elements, not valour, destroyed the French 
invaders; English gold and not their own 
energies brought the Russians to encamp in 
Paris. Most travellers who have hitherto 
described the empire have been military men, 
and they have been led away by the mili- 
tary discipline which reigns every where. 
They have more or less of the officer's pre- 
judice, that strict drill makes good soldiers; 
and they are ignorant of the moral loss 
that is incurred when men are degraded to 
machines. Men of the camp over-rated Rus- 
sia, because it appeared to them an empire 
of camp; had they gone a step further and 
asked some questions respecting the com- 
misserat and linance, they would have made 
considerable abatements in their estimate of 
Moscovite strength and grandeur. 



From Bentley's Miscellany. 

THE HUNTING WIDOW; 

OR, A WEEK IN THE WOODS AND PRAIRIES 
OF TEXAS. 

Some time towards the close of February 
last, I took my departure from on board the 
Texian man-of-war brig, Archer, of eighteen 
guns, lying in Galveston harbour, on a hunt- 
ing excursion up the bay of the same name, 
for the purpose of recruiting myself after a 
brief cruize to the enemy's coast, with the 
less-dangerous pursuit of the deer, the opos- 
sum, the raccoon, and other game, with 
which the prairies and woodlands of this 
favoured offshoot of Mexico abounds. 

The craft in which, as with Yankee cau- 
tion it was expressed, we " calculated to pro- 
gress," was tlie brig's six-oar cutter, rigged 
into a sail-boat; it contained our guns, horns, 
shot-pouches, a keg of powder, bags of ball 
and shot, our blankets, " fixing" for a tent, 
a demi-john of water, a few boldes of Amer- 
ican whiskey, a small sack of biscuit, certain 
pieces of salt-beef, some coffee and sugar, 
and ample provisions for the day's journey, 
as well as an " extensive supply" of tobacco. 
My companions were Captain Todd, Lieu- 
tenant Snow, Judge BoUant, Mr. Baker, and 
two young midshipmen, who had entered, 
for glory's sake the service of the young re- 
public. 

The costume of the party was, for the 
country and the occasion, perfectly suitable 
and characteristic, but to an European suffi- 
ciently novel; my American friends were 
cased in pantaloons " of rugged woollen," 
the nether extremities were tucked in their 
thick hunting boots, and attached in that po- 
sition by a rope-yarn ; their heads were sur- 
mounied by broad-brimmed white felt hats, 
while a jacket, over which was thrown the 
picturesque poncho, or Mexican blanket, in 
addition to the usual amalgamation of arms, 
horns, shot-bags, &c. completed their hunt- 
ing habiliments. 1 myself, though but recent- 
ly from a land of civilization, yet fell suffi- 
ciently the force of example, and the utter 
destruction of all " correct clothing," to be 
habited in all things the same, save only that 
my poncho was Peruvian, and my head sur- 
mounted by a sou'-wesier, something between 
a shovel-hat and a coal-heaver's tarpaulin. 

The bay at the moment of our departure 
was covered with a dense and piercing fog, 
which rendered every object invisible at the 
distance of little more tlian twenty yards. 



A WEEK IN THE WOODS AND PRAIRIES OF TEXAS. 



511 



We were to leeward of our brig on siarting, 
and scarcely had we propelled our boat so 
that the sails were filled, and our long red and 
blue pennant unfurled to the wind by a some- 
what stiff breeze, when the vessel in our 
rear was out of sight, just as the sound of a 
long twenty-four died upon our ears ; next 
moment anodier solid o!)jcct presented itself 
to our view, and before we could rightly 
hear and respond unto the cheerful hail of a 
light-hearted Frenchman, we had shot across 
the bows of the brig Nomade, of Agde, ap- 
pearing like a spectral ship upon the ocean, 
her spars all dripping with wet. 

I now proceeded to load a pipe, manufactur- 
ed in 'I'exan fashion from a reed and an In- 
dian corn-cob scooped out, and then lit it 
according to the custom of the country. A 
musket was loosely charged with a small 
supply of cotton for wadding, gently inserted 
upon the top of the powder, and fired into 
the bottom of the boat, and the burning cot- 
ton being picked up, our chibouques, meers- 
chaums, or whatever less aspiring name the 
reader is pleased to give them, then went 
through the process of illumination, and we 
were all in the portals of paradise. Soothed 
by the influence of the weed, certainly less 
odoriferous than the " carcanets of rose pas- 
tilles"* worn by the ladies of Hellas, but not 
less pleasing in its effects, I awaited the re- 
sult of our peregrination in that state of hap- 
py indifference as to where we brought up 
for the night, satisfied that game would every 
where be found. I then very gravely drew 
forth my ramrod, and sounded with it once 
or twice as we proceeded, and found by the 
scant water obtained, that we were on the 
centre of Pelican Shoal. While the rest 
were occupied in tying reef-points, the helm 
was resigned to me, and in about five min- 
utes the vicinity of land was made manifest 
by the rising of a vast cloud of birds, whose 
loud screams testified their annoyance at our 
approach. Next moment I discovered loom- 
ing through the fog, the dim outline of cer- 
tain palmettos and prickly pears, indicating 
onr landfall to be the large oyster pond on 
Pelican Island, so called from the vast body 
of pelicans and cranes which congregate 
upon and around it. Steering a more wes- 
terly course, we soon rounded Shell-bank's 
Point, and entered upon the open bay, where 
every now and then the ghostly outline ol 
some boat at anchor met our gaze, and the 
hoarse sound of welcome and adieu was 



* St. John's "Ancient Greece," vol; iii. p. 137. 



sounded across the waters. Now and then 
a song, either in French, German, or Eng- 
lish would catch our ears, warning us ere we 
could see it, of our proximity to the different 
craft. Ours was the only boat in motion ; 
we only having a compass. 

About two hours of a stiff breeze, which 
carried us gloriously along, a squull or so 
now and then disturbing us, enabled me to 
run in close under Dollar Point, the site of 
an [intended) town [to be) called Austinia, 
of which a few houses were once built, but 
being removed wholesale to San Luis, the 
notion was abandoned. Here we were pur- 
posing to take refection, when our keel gra- 
ted harshly, and next instant we were fast 
aground upon Oyster Reef, over which I 
expected to find suflicient water. The whole 
of Galveston Bay, abounding, ns it does, in 
other fish, is yet more plentifully supplied 
with vast and inexhaustible beds of the most 
delicious oysters, lying about two or three 
feet below the surface, from five to twenty 
in a bunch. One man can, with ease, col- 
lect a thousand in an hour. In shape and 
size they differ from those generally seen in 
Europe, being long, narrow, and they are 
eaten only in two or three mouthfuls. Their 
flavour, particularly when aided by the pep- 
pered vinegar so universally used in all parts 
of Mexico, is most delicious; and oyster 
stews, fries, and soups, as well as pickles, 
form a great portion of the food of the inhabi- 
tants. 

Determined to make the best of a difficulty, 
we unsheathed our knives, as if to eat a way 
across the reef, and proceeded in good ear- 
nest to add oysters to our morning-meal. 
Our "white nigger," as any thing in the 
shape of an European servant is elegantly 
denominated in ihe refined vocabulary of 
Texas, soon gathered two or three hundred, 
and taking from a box the larger half of a 
stray juvenile boar, which had paid the debt 
of nature under one of our rifles the preced- 
ing day, with molasses for sauce, and Indian 
corn-cakes, I can assure my readers we made 
a hearty meal. 

Breakfast concluded, we very coolly took 
to the water, not, however, without some 
expectation of encountering an alligator, also 
in search of a morning meal. The boat, 
relieveil of our weight, rose buoyanUy, and 
we led it over the oyster-bank; had the day 
been warm, and the water smooth, there 
would have been nothing disagreeable in this 
involuntary bath, but the fog was piercingly 
cold, and a short sea breaking over the bank, 



612 



THE HUNTING WIDOW; OR, 



wetted us from head to foot. Re-entering 
our boat, we passed through a narrow chan- 
nel between two islands, and found ourselves 
in Edward's Bay, where, under the shelter 
of the land, the breeze fell considerably, and 
we shook tlie reefs out of our sails. Just as 
this was done the wind shifted a few points, 
liie fog rolled away, leaving free passage to 
the sun's rays, which speedily dried our 
dripping garments, and about midday I had 
the satisfaclion of seeing the anchor fall at 
the mouth of Clare Creek, where we resolved 
to commence operaiions. 

'i^he spot was sufliciendy picturesque, both 
banks of the river or creek being shaded by 
lofty trees, with here and there a green open- 
ing, overhung by the branches of the cedar, 
the live-oak, the elm, the hacmatack, while 
yuppan and peccan bushes, and hickory- 
trees, till up the intermediate spaces between 
the larger trunks ; here and there a wild lemon 
tree, or the l(»fiy-climbing vine, met the eye, 
or, casting it some liule distance above, it 
rested upon a grove of young pine-trees, 
with their deep-green hue, extending far out 
of sight, until hidden by a bend of the river. 
Having selected for our camp a slightly-ele- 
vated opening, we commenced a clearance, 
and by culling stakes and poles, with the aid 
of our sails, certain tarpaulins, and a spare 
lop gallant sail, brought for the purpose, we 
soon contemplated in silent admiration the 
work of our own hands. A large fire was 
instandy set on foot, and the whole party 
then dispersed in various directions in search 
of game. I,andMidshipmanSmiih, "sloped" 
together, he having whispered that he would 
show me some fine spori without much trou- 
ble. Wild-fowl, as most comeatable, was 
what we tirst sought, in order to obtain a 
supply for immediate consumption. Shoulder- 
ing my heavy double-barrelled gun, I follow- 
ed my litde, active, and intelligent guide 
along the left banks of the river, for a dis- 
tance of about two hundred yards, when he 
sat down upon a log, and I followed his ex- 
ample. He knew that information relative to 
the country, as well as the character of its 
inhabitants, was peculiarly my delight, and 
accordingly informed me that, until the last 
nine months, he had resided on Clare Creek, 
in the house of one Esdier Simmons, and 
added, that he was sure I would like to see 
her; but the visit was deferred by me until 
the next day, 

" I guess, 



anyhow'; for when I left I stowed my Indian 
canoe, where I'd venture to calculate, it lias 
never been found ; and, now for it, to cross 
Clare Creek, and walk into the ducks." 

At the conclusion of this speech, which 
rather surprised me, Mr. Smith rose, and 
walking down the genUy sloping bank to the 
water's edge, suspended his " copposity" in 
mid-air, lowered liimself down amid a thick, 
overhanging bush, and then disappearing, 
presendy shot forth, paddling a small Indian 
canoe, or dug-out. of size barely sufficient to 
carry two persons and their equipments. 
Placing our arms carefully in the bottom of 
tlie boat, I cautiously entered the fragile bark, 
and seating myself, was soon paddled to the 
opposite side. Making fast the painter of 
our litUe canoe, we landed, and pushing 
aside the somewhat thick undergrowtii with 
my left hand, grasping in my right my fowl- 
ing piece, I followed Mr. Smith, and, after a 
quarter of an hour's journey through close 
timber, we came in sight of one of the nu- 
merous and extraordinarily inhabited ponds 
so common in the lower and more swampy 
portions of the coast of Texas. The lagoon 
itself was skirted by the extreme edge of 
the wood ; beyond spread the interminable 
prairie, flat, smooth as the calm sea, unbro- 
ken by any elevation. The surface of the water 
was, at the moment we approached, com- 
pletely hidden by ducks, both the diver, the 
canvas-back, and the common kind, as well 
as a pretty considerable number of geese. 
Havinof with ereat caution ensconced ourselves 
at the distance of about torty yards, we star- 
ded them by a loud cry, and as the immense 
body of fowls rose like a thick cloud, they 
received the contents of four barrels, loaded 
with a mixture of small and swan-shot. We 
had chosen our positions admirably, for 
eleven ducks and two geese rewarded our 
exertions. 

Collecting our prizes, we now retraced our 
steps, the more readily as we heard several 
shots fired on the opposite side, and from 
experience I knew that there other game 
had been captured. Though we were first 
at the camp, yet, as the rest dropped in we 
found our anticipations verified. Captain Tod 
had killed an opossum ; Mr. Baker, a squirrel 

and two snipes ; Judge B , several ducks ; 

while Lieutenant Snow was empty-handed, 
and Midshipman Goodall had "scotched, 
but not killed" a deer. A huge iron pot, 
said he, with the rich nasal | suspended from branches above, over a blaz- 
twang of a true Yankee, as soon as I had ing fire, was now put into requisition, into 
made up my mind, "we'll have some sport I which, after due skinning and plucking, the 



A WEEK IN THE WOODS AND PRAIRIES OF TEXAS. 



513 



whole amount of our chase was indiscrimi- 
nately cast, to form a stew; to the above a 
portion of navy beef was added, by way of 
salt, while Indian corn-meal, and a few sweet 
potatoes, added not a little to the promised 
delicacy of our ragout. Certain it is that 
our Man-Friday, or Leo Americanns, as lie 
was called, from his extensive progression 
over the New Continent, assured us that llie 
result of his cuisine would be " first-rate." 

The preparation of our slew, the careful 
decoction of our mocha, or Kathee Havanna 
beans, occupied our time and our thoughts 
so exclusively, that, suddenly raising our 
eyes, we discovered the sun slowly setting 
in the west, its rays peering somewhat feebly 
through the dense mass of foliage which sur- 
rounded us. We accordingly supped by the 
light of a blazing fire of pine and oak logs, 
which some considerate individual had cut 
down close at hand, for the less useful pur- 
pose, however, of conveying them to Galves- 
ton for sale. The only interruption during 
our meals was the howling of certain caicfoe, 
whom the savoury odour of our mess had 
caused to congregate around. I scarcely ever 
enjoyed a meal with more gusto. Hunger, 
and the good things before me, so engrossed 
my attention, that the wolves were for the 
time unheeded : and, when at length three or 
four pounds of the stew had been despatched 
by each of us, we were far too lazy to rise 
and trouble ourselves by interfering with the 
noisy neighbours, who promised by their gut- 
tural concert to disturb our slumbers. A pipe 
of the aromatic weed, as well as the charms 
of conversation, were to us more powerful 
influences than the desire of slaughter. 

My companions at length fell ofl" one by 
one to sleep ; but, pouring out a cup of coffee, 
I replenished my pipe, and wandered into 
imagination within sight of the metropolis of 
the world, on the banks of Father Thames, 
with those who, though many thousand 
miles from me, were ever uppermost in my 
thoughts. I was aroused from a sadly-plea- 
sant reverie by the howling of wolves, some- 
what too near me to be agreeable ; starting 
up, therefore, I fired my gun, heavily loaded 
with buck-shot, in the ilireciion whence the 
noise proceeded, and then, my vision being 
scattered, heaped on fresh logs, and resigned 
myself to slumber. 

I awoke, after a few hours' rest, and found 
Man-Friday and Mid. Smith busily engaged 
in preparing for breakfast : I arose, and lent 
a hand by "alembicating" the Havanna. In 
a lew minutes the keen senses of the slum- 



berers, catching hold of the fragrant odour 
meandering through the air, and " the rage 
of hunger," to use an Homeric phrase, was 
called into action. Every thing was now 
bustle : our beds and blanlvcts were rolled up, 
and convened into stools, and in a few min- 
utes a hunter's morning meal was despatched. 
Our guns were now shouldered, and the 
camp was deserted, each following the bent 
of his inclinations. I and Mr. Smith pre- 
pared to pay our promised visit to Esther 
Simmons, better known as the " hunting 
widow." During our progress towards her 
wigwam, I received in detail a history of the 
circumstances from which had arisen her 
present anomalous position. Smith himself 
was an orphan, who had been reared by the 
Simmons family, and informed me that, some 
four years previously, they had resided in the 
neighbourhood of Austin, some two hundred 
miles in the interior, expecting to end their 
days in the wilds, unless, perchance, a settle- 
ment should form around them. One after- 
noon Smith came running with the startling 
intelligence thai a party of Cumanche Indians 
were advancing towards the house,, having 
killed a negro, who had been busily engaged 
in a small inclosed field planting sweet po- 
tatoes. 

The hut of the Simmonses was situated on 
the extreme point of a kind of delta, formed 
by the conjunction of two small rivers, which 
here, in consequence, first became navigable. 
'I'he front of the house opened upon a small 
"burn," skirted at the distance of some two 
hundred yards, by a fine wood ; while the 
rear was on the edge of a sloping bank, which 
led down to the water's edtje, where lav a 
moderate-sized piroque, partly concealed by 
bushes, and utterly out of view to any one 
approaching from the timber above alluded 
to. Defence appearing out of the question, 
immediate preparations were made for es- 
cape ; but this hope was frustrated by the 
sudden appearance from a forest path of 
some dozen well-armed and well-inounted 
Cumanches. The crack, the fliish of the 
Western rifle followed, and the foremost of 
the Indians, who had evidently expected to 
gain admission under the guise of seeking 
hospitality, fell to the ground to rise no more. 
The Indians, as was their wont, retreated, 
and halted at a somewhat more respectable 
distance. By this time the children had beea 
removed to the canoe, where they were for the 
moment told "to remain quiet. Tiie Cuman- 
ches now commenced a rapid fire on the house 
from three different directions, which were 



514 



THE HUNTING WIDOW; OR, 



severally answered by loud reports from the 
rirtes of the mother and fatlier, as well as of 
my young friend Smith. Mrs. Simmons 
had, by long acquaintance with the American 
rifle, become as sure a marksman as any 
Leather-stocking of them all. Animated by 
the combined feelings of love for her offspring 
and her husband, she, with steady aim and 
unbending firmness, pointed the terrible wea- 
pon, which dealt death round. 

The patience of tlie Indians is a matter of 
notoriety, and the inhabitants of the log-hut 
saw that a determined siege was about to be 
kept up, the result of which, when night 
came to aid their designs, could not remain 
doubtful. With infinite pain and sorrow the 
young husband and wife, who for seven 
years had been one another's only hope and 
joy, agreed to part ; the mother to escape 
with her children to some safe retreat, wliile 
the husband kept tlie Indians at bay, resolved, 
if necessary, to perish for those who were so 
dear to him. The scene, as artlessly and 
simply described to me by Smith, must have 
been of terrible interest; the young wife and 
mother was ndw dealing death around her in 
defence of her home, the next minute weep- 
ing in her husband's arms. 

Presendy Esther would be recalled to a 
sense of her position by the crack of rifles, 
the whistling of arrows, which fell, however, 
harmless in the centre of massive logs, amid 
the treble shingles which formed the roof of 
the hut. In fact, at this moment there was 
little danger; but soon day began to give 
signs of its departure, and in desperate agony 
the father and mother separated. Heart- 
breaking, no doubt, were Esther's sobs, as, 
followed in sullen silence by young Smith, 
she steahhily, still holding fast the American 
rifle, crept to the water's edge, and the voung 
father remained alo'ie. That night, and pan 
of the next day, the fugitives travelled with- 
out intermission, Esther and Smith propel- 
ling the piroque in turns. The journey about 
mid-day closed, by their reaching a small 
settlement on the mouth of the river which 
fell into the Colerado, Commending anx- 
iously her children to the care of friends, 
Esther remarked to Smith, that, her mater- 
nal duties having been performed, she would 
now only remember she was a wife. Bor- 
rowing a smaller canoe than she had come 
in, and taking a supply of provisions at the 
earnest request of the women who surround- 
ed her, the men being out in search of the 
very Indians she had fled from, she started 
back. alone to ascertain the fate of her hus- 



band. As I afterwards learned from her own 
mouth, she had no idea of fatigue, no thought 
of want of rest, but continued paddling her 
canoe, until the next morning brought her 
once more to her home. What her sensa- 
tions were, as, on arriving near, a black- 
ened burning mass of ruins met her eye, un- 
tenanted of aught living, it is easier for the 
reader to imagine than for me to attempt to 
describe. The huge log?^ of which a 'I'exan 
hut is usually made, had been all cast down, 
and still resisted the force of the destructive 
element. 

Esilierlanded,and sought — she expected to 
find nought else — the body of her husband. 
Her expectations were doomed to be verified, 
for she discovered the corpse, transfixed with 
arrows, scalped, and stripped of every article 
of clothing, the wolves busily engaged in de- 
vouring it. Witli steady and unflinching aim 
she raised the rifle, and laid the foremost of 
the group low. The very action brought up 
tumidtuous feelings, and vengeance took pos- 
session of her soul. " My first thought," 
said she afterwards, " was revenge. I could 
have set out on foot, and followed the mur- 
derers to the end of the earth, and never have 
rested until I had taken every life; but, thank 
God, the thought of my children, came into 
my mind, and I yearned to be near them." 
She could not, however, bear the idea of 
leaving her husband's body to be devoured 
by the wolves; but, taking oflT the coarse 
cloak of deer-skin which enveloped her form, 
she wrapped it around him, and widi a des- 
perate determination, which well suited her 
energetic and noble character, dragged the 
corpse to the canoe, placed it in it, entered it 
herself, and commenced her return. On her 
arriving at the settlement, a burning fever, 
which had been gradually coming on, over- 
came her, and her life was some time despair- 
ed of. 

A few weeks passed, and Esther Simmons, 
having recovered, took her departure for the 
coast a broken-hearted woman. From that 
day she was determined to risk no further 
contact with the Indians ; the idea of losing 
her children as she had h^st her husband was 
a thought too terrible. In her next retreat 
the children tilled the ground,* planted In- 



* The ground in Texas receives, of course, but 
very little labour, a hoe or mattock bein<r about all 
the agricultural instruments ever used. Their sow. 
ing differs but little from the Indian mode describ- 
ed in Hakluyt (iii. 329,): "First for their cornc, 
begining in one corner of the plot, with a pecker 
they make a hole, wherein they put four grains, with 



A WEEK IN THE WOODS AND PRAIRIES OF TEXAS. 



515 



dian corn and sweet potatoes, killed pigs, 
(Sic; while the mother, with the ride on iier 
shoulder, wandered through prairie and wood. 
in search of game of every description. Tiiis 
active state of life was, as she said, indeed 
necessary to her ; it drove from her head 
thoughts of the past, which came crowding 
upon her at times with terrible vividness. 
Such is the substance, in my own words, of 
what I lieard from Mr. Smith, who, as he 
concluded, exclaimed, " But there she is, 
and can tell you more about it all herself." 

I raised my eyes, and found myself stand- 
ing in front of a rude log hut, situated in the 
centre of a lovely glade, a dense forest sur- 
rounding it on all sides. Around the house 
were about four acres* of cultivated ground, 
inclosed by a rude fence, to keep off the va- 
rious depredators, which otherwise would 
have utterly destroyed whatever crop was 
planted. Several pigs, of all sizes and col- 
ours, witli a solitary cow, and a few fowls, 
were all that appeared animated around the 
dwelling, in the porch, however, of which 
sat a woman, still young, of handsome, 
though somewhat weather-beaten features. 
Her age I found to be two-and-thirty. She 
was of the middle height, slightly made, and 
engaged in the femenine occupation of sew- 
ing. I was both surprised and gratified ; for 
her history had prepared me too see her only 
with the rifle on her shoulder, marching, like 
another Boadicea, to the conquest of her 
enemies. Mrs. Simmons rose to meet us. 
Smith was welcomed most affectionately; 
while I was introduced as a countryman, and 
received a most hospitable, and even grace- 
ful, invitation to enter and take refreshment. 
I accordingly followed her, and found within 
two boys and two girls, of the ages of five, 
six, nine, and eleven, who instantly placed a 
stool for me, and proceeded with alacrity to 
disembarrass me of my gun, powder-horn, 
&c. The walls were huno- witli a few hunt- 



care that they touch not one another (about an inch 
asunder,) and cover them with the molde again : 
tliere is a yard square between every hole, where, 
according to discretion here and there, they set as 
many beanes and peaze." 

* The assertion of Mr. Tli. Harlot (Ilakluyt, ill. 
330), with regard to Virginia, is fully borne out by 
my experience in Texas. " I can assure you," he 
says, " that one man may prepare and husband so 
much ground (liaving once borne come before) with 
less than foure-and-twenty hours' labour, as shall 
yield him victual in a large proportion for a twelve- 
month, if he have nothing els but that which the 
same ground will yield; the sayd ground being 
also but of fivc-and-twcnty yards square." 



ing implements, coarse habiliments, and veni- 
son, as well as pork-hams, always saved to 
be, at a proper opportunity, exchanged in 
Galveston for powder, shot, and the only 
article of clothing necessary to be purchased, 
red flannel shirts. Esther herself was com- 
pletely habited in garments of deer-skin, 
while mocassins covered her feel, above 
which appeared leggings of the same material. 
After some conversation, we displayed to 
the view of our hostess some ten pounds of 
powder, a bag of shot, a quantity of lead, as 
well as a small supply of bread, coffee, and 
sugar, which we desired to exchange for 
sweet potatoes and a ham or two. The faint 
trace of a smile, dim as the shadow cast by 
the evening star, passed across her dark and 
expressive countenalice, as the latter articles 
were presented to her view. 

" I never see coffee, Mr. S. J., or tea, or 
sugar, but I think of England. I left it very 
young; but even now 1 think how different 
had been my lot, had I never departed from 
my native land." 

I made some remark of a consolatory na- 
ture, and the conversation fell upon other 
topics, and presently upon her remarkable 
history, various details of which I received 
from her own mouth; but I forbore to press 
her upon so painful a point. 

During the day we strolled to several 
picturesque spots, as well in the woods as in 
the edge of the prairie, where we started 
numerous grey and red partridges. Here 
the fair Diana of this sylvan retreat first dis- 
played to us the unerring nature of her aim, 
and the great skill she possessed in all the 
details of the ars venatica. Several fat par- 
tridges, two rabbits, and a sand-hill crane 
were the result of her efforts; while about a 
dozen rice-birds, killed in two voUies with 
small mustard shot, were all that my luck 
afforded me. The latter, however, though 
not much larger than a sparrow, are like 
balls of fat, and very delicious in taste. 
About five o'clock we terminated our stroll, 
though so fascinating was the society of my 
conductress, that I could have continued it 
hours longer. Even before I entered the hut 
the savoury odour of numerous viands as- 
sailed my olfactories in a most agreeable 
manner, and in a few moments I was seated 
on a solid stool at a smoking board, where 
a stew of mingled pork and venison, with 
fried deer's meat, hominy and mush, besides 
a compound of hot milk and coffee, soon ap- 
peased a ravenous appetite. Hominy and 



516 



THE HUNTING WIDOW. 



mush are bolh prepared from Indian corn, 
the former from the grain, the hitter from 
the meal, and,, to my taste, are exceedingly 
dehcioLis. 

As soon as the dinner was ended. Smith 
and the whole party of children dispersed in 
search of pine-knots, preparatory to a fire- 
hunt, and my hostess and myself proceeded 
to discuss the merits of that odoriferous weed, 
of which these parts are the native soil. 

During the conversation which ensued, 
mv hostess detailed to me some of her ad- 
ventures; but I was chief spokesman, as she 
was eager to hear all that I could tell of dear 
England, and the many changes which had 
taken place since her departure. In about 
two hours the merry foraging party return- 
ed, and preparations were made for our ex- 
pedition. A large frying-pan was first fast- 
ened to a stick; in this the pine-knots were 
placed, and, having been lit, the fiery ma- 
chine was shouldered by Mrs. Simmons, who 
grasping her rifle, led the way to a prairie 
burn. Every spring, as soon as the sun's 
rays are sufficiently strong to dry up the 
grass, the inhabitants of the Texian wilder- 
ness set fire to the prairie, which " confla- 
grating" until arrested by various impedi- 
ments, as a river, swamp, or heavy timber, 
leaves behind a rich mould, which is soon 
covered by a short grass, much coveted by 
the huge herds of deer that wander through 
this favoured land. The savanna being 
reached, I for the first time witnessed the ex- 
traordinary attraction which this fire pos- 
sesses for the deer. We had not walked 
many hundred yards upon the burn before 
Mrs. Simmons called me to her side, and 
requested me to look in the direction in which 
she pointed. I did so, and plainly, amid the 
almost utter darkness, discerned the shining 
eye-balls of some animal gazing steadfastly 
in motionless astonishment at the fire. The 
sharp ringing crack of a rifle followed, and, 
runnino- up, we found that, at the distance of 
upwards of fitly paces, our fair hostess had 
hit a doe directly between the eyes, and 
stretched it on the ground. 

This kind of hunting is very much prac- 
tised in Texas; it requires considerable ex- 
perience, and a most steady hand, as the 
fire-pan has to be exactly balanced on the 
right shoulder, and held there, while the rifle 
is brought up, and steady aim taken. The 
knots will continue to blaze, so great is the 
quantity of inflammable material, no matter 
how much wind exists, giving a bright light ; 



I a calm and dark evening is, however, gene- 
I rally selected for this sport. The eldest boy 
and girl took possession of our prize, which 
was a small one, and we proceeding, suc- 
ceeded in capturing another. Satisfied with 
the result of our hunt, and the two reports 
having scared the deer, we returned, and 
after a hearty supper and a smoke, turned 
in to sleep, or, rather, we all lay down, and 
the remaining portion of the inhabitants 
found repose in slumber. With me, how- 
ever, the case was far different, for, about 
twelve o'clock, just as I was composing my- 
self to sleep, the wind, which had been 
northerly, shifted to the southward, and 
brought with it a considerable supply of rain; 
from this, of course, our log hut kept us free, 
but not from the multitude of musquitoes, 
which began to congregate in great nun;bers, 
settling upon my head and face, particularly 
the forehead, in vast numbers. I had ne- 
glected to carry about a musquito-bar, and 
paid dearly for my carelessness. Morning, 
with which came a northerly wind, at length 
dispersed the tormentors, but all hope of 
sleep had departed. 

Meanwhile, my companions, seasoned to 
the persecutors, had slept soundly, and pre- 
sently rose refreshed. Mr. Smith now start- 
ed to the landing, where we had left the 
canoe, and paddled it up to within two hun- 
dred yards of the hut, which was almost in 
sight of the river. Several bushels of sweet 
potatoes, and three hams were placed m it, 
and, bidding adieu to my fair and interesting 
hostess, with a promise of future visits, I 
returned to the camp. Subsequent inquiries 
made me aware that Mrs. Simmons had 
received several most advantageous offers of 
marriage, but the memory of the past was 
not to be eradicated, and every offer had 
been refused; she had given herself up whol- 
ly to hoi" family. Let it not be supposed that 
her children were utterly rude. On every 
visit to Galveston she obtained the loan of 
useful works, the contents of which being 
imparted to her children, they were returned 
and exchanged for others; while a Bible, and 
a considerable number of tracts, the gift of 
missionaries, remained ever upon her shelves. 

Over a plentiful meal it was now agreed 
that the camp should be broken up, as the 
rain had wet the hut, and rendered lying on 
the ground far from pleasant. 

P. B. St. J. 
Texian Brig of War, Archer, Galveston 
Harbour, April 27, 1843. 



